Personal computers being used by the users at their home are the worst affected machines when there is a virus or worm outbreak. These machines are not the actual targets. Infact these machines are the escape goats for the malicious users for using them for a bigger and more severe attack on the target. The malicious users or the way we commonly know them as Hackers find the Home machines to be the easier victim to launch their attack on the target networks by converting vulnerable home machines into Zombie machines and thus use them remotely to master their attack strategy.
The reasons that leave the Home machines highly vulnerable can be sighted one for many; following are a few of the ones that may be listed –
1. Home machines are often left unpatched for the latest service packs and hot fixes
2. Home machines often lack updated virus signatures. In many cases the antivirus installed are not capable of countering the latest worms/viruses/malicious codes
3. Home machines often have unrequired services running
4. Home users often install freeware and shareware versions without knowing the functionality completely, these also at times open more avenues for weaknesses
5. Home users often do not think prior to clicking on various links as they are forwarded in the junk/spam mails. This makes it easier for the hackers to carry out phishing attacks, or attacks that might lead to dissemination of vital information about the surfing patterns etc.
6. Home users often click open attachments even from untrusted sources, these attachments specifically if are .scr, .pif or as very recently .pdf, can be various malicious codes.
Though there is no best way to defeat the malicious intent but we all can certainly be more aware about the odds of conducting certain activities before we actually do them. As it is said, it is better to be safe then be sorry. As for me I would suggest following steps to be taken at the minimum to safeguard a Home Machine from being used as a Zombie by a hacker –
1. Use a Licensed software so that the patches and latest security service packs could be downloaded and installed on the machine. Though it might cost dear to purchase the license, but its better to pay a price much higher, lest your machine gets compromised.
2. Use a standard antivirus solution and there are quite a number of good ones available. Counting between money and safety would never get you the best in longer run as safety comes first and money can be earned if you are safe.
3. Suggest you to instruct your technical helpdesk/service person to help you stop all the unrequired services on your machine that you have purchased. For instance one can always stop services like – Alerter and Messenger. Once should also disable autoplay for the plug and play devices as at times they might be the source of malicious codes.
4. Do not install any shareware and/or freeware unless you are well aware about the functionality it is going to add to your machine. Also, Beta Software are meant for high skilled professionals and not for the simple end users. Beta Software are not the final products and might have more than expected levels of vulnerable points.
5. Ensure that the attachment you are opening is a valid attachment that you are expecting from a reliable source. Its always better to have the mail sender’s address verified before opening any attachment.
6. Ensure that the link you are clicking on is the right link and would take you to the source it claims to. Also ensure that the sender of the link is the authentic sender and ensure that it is coming from a legitimate email address.
Though these are just few of the basic steps, the home users might also consider and evaluate installation of personal firewalls on their machines, but again they need to be sure of the genuinity of the source from where the said personal firewall is being downloaded and installed. Its always advisable to use the best though it might cost a little over a months supply of cigars.
Comments
Hi Mayank,
Nice post. But an average computer user would still might not understand the use of it.
What should be done in such case?
Look for better alternatives.
Alternatives in which user would not have to do much.
He would not have to worry about viruses, malware, etc.
Something which he can just put it there and which will take care of his system.
For someone who does not have money to buy licensed/propriety softwares can look for open source.
Using Linux, for eg, would at least for the time being can reduce the virus threat. It wont be easy to take the system down and made to act as a zombie.
Unless a user is a gaming geek, linux would provide him the same solutions as a windows machine might do.
Luke,
I agree with you that the average computer user might not understand the use of it….that’s where this is my first attempt towards trying to put forward some steps for them to follow.
Alternatives, how good are they?? Open source Is it a viable choice??? Mind you talking about average computer user, well if they can’t understand the basics here will they be able to understand the Linux and the operating environment therein??
There are many questions associated Luke and am trying to list some of them here –
1. What about the updation of security patches for the issues identified in Linux O/S
2. What about the viruses that affect the systems alike?
3. How to deal with the worms and trojan horses that are written for Linux??
4. How to get the extended support to deal with the O/S specific issues?
Its not easy, cause easier to say that Open source is an Option, but to shift to Open Source, we need that expertise to handle the challenges.
Regards
Mayank
Hi Mayank,
Linux is no longer just for power users.
It is being custom made for desktop users as well.
As for the security updates/patches they have an option for that.
All you need to do is keep the updates on and it OS will take care of them.
Now i know support might be an issue. Its not company specific. Its community based.
But there are lot less virus/trojan/worm attacks. I havent faced any in three years. 😀
But you do have a point there. It wont be easy for them.