The Guru's Frequently Asked Questions

Index

• How safe is banking online?
• Why do I need a firewall?
• What is phishing?
• I've got an anti-virus program installed on my PC, am I safe?
• I have Windows Firewall on, so I'm safe...right?
• What's the big deal about spyware? Why should I be worried?
• Why can't a firewall stop spyware, adware, trojans and malicious code?

Q. How safe is banking online?
A. The danger of Internet Banking comes down to the weakest point - YOUR PERSONAL COMPUTER.

In fact, the communication between your computer and the bank is encrypted in a very sophisticated manner. So the weakest link is that YOUR COMPUTER might be compromised. E.g. If your computer has spy software secretly watching what you do, what you type, then your bank username and password can be captured before it even gets encrypted and sent over the Internet.

Therefore,

IF you have an Anti-virus and keep it up to date and
IF you have a good Firewall that blocks traffic in both directions (not Windows Firewall...see below) and
IF you run Anti-Spyware software and keep it up to date...

THEN I would say that Internet Banking for you is very safe. Probably safer than going out and using the ATM!.

Q. Why do I need a firewall?
A. A firewall is like your own personal doorman protecting your computer. He only lets traffic in and out that he recognises as being legitimate. Even if you already have a NAT-enabled modem, a firewall is an invaluable layer of defence for keeping intruders OUT and your personal data IN.

Q. What is phishing??
A. Phishing is email that appears to come from a well known and trustworthy Organisation asking you to enter (or confirm or update) personal or financial information into a website by following the link given. Usually the link points to a fraudulent web-site whose only aim is to capture your information in order to exploit it.

If you're worried about Phishing then the FTC has a great (and short) article on how to avoid being hooked by a phishing scam here

Q. I've got an anti-virus program installed on my PC, am I safe?
A. An anti-virus program is a vital part of protecting your computer from Hackers and other Internet dangers. It will protect you from programs that you have personally chosen to download or that you have received via email. But anti-virus software cannot stop external programs that attack your computer from the outside. Also, Anti-virus software cannot stop spyware from infiltrating your computer and sending stolen information back over the Internet.

For complete protection, a good Firewall program and an Anti-Spyware program (or two) are essential

Q. I have Windows Firewall on, so I'm safe...right?
A. Currently, Windows Firewall is universally acknowledged to only do half the job required to protect your computer. It's a lot better than nothing at all, but Windows Firewall only controls the traffic coming into your computer. Any programs can still send information back over the Internet at any time including any spyware that might sneak onto your machine.

The best protection is to have a Firewall that controls traffic going in both directions!

Q. What's the big deal about spyware? Why should I be worried?
A. Spyware is, at present, one of the biggest threats to the sanctity of your computer. With Firewalls and Anti-Virus programs defending so many PC's, Hackers have turned increasingly to Spyware. If you let down your guard...click on just one bad Advertisement, you can quickly find your computer being overrun with self-installing software, x-rated pop-up advertisements (EVEN when you are off-line), and your computer running more and more slowly and crashing more due to numerous background programs being loaded by the spyware.

It is definitely worth installing one (preferably two or more) Anti-Spyware programs to guard against this ever increasing threat.

Q. Why can't a firewall stop spyware, adware, trojans and malicious code?
A. The simplest answer is just that it's not designed to. Firewalls are primarily designed to stop hackers from attacking your machine over the Internet. In fact some Firewalls products do have extra features - like ad-blocking, or anti-spyware or spam-blocking, but really these are just extra programs packed together with each one serving a specific purpose.

So for complete protection, a computer should have a minimum of:

• a firewall (a barrier that prevents hackers from attacking any weakness in your computer security)
• anti-virus (stops known-bad programs from running)
• anti-spyware (stops programs from making changes that could allow them to spy on you)

Additional forms of protection can include:

• Spam blocker (stop spam email before it reaches your inbox)
• ad-blocker (often built into firewall products)
• attack detection and intrusion detection.