Costco Connection - December 2011

camcorder footage, docu- ments, important emails, contacts, calendar appoint- ments, Web bookmarks and so forth. To back up info on your smartphone or tablet, synchro- nize your device with your computer via USB cable or back up data to an online “cloud” ser- vice where it can be easily retrieved, if needed. Use anti-malware programs. The next step is to invest in good anti- malware software, which includes anti- virus and anti-spyware tools, and a two-way firewall. For example, McAfee All Access protects computers and mobile devices alike. Updates are usually handled automatically and pushed to your device, which will protect you from the latest threats as soon as they’re identified. Be safe and sensible. Consumers should also continue following online-safety best practices, says Gebhart. Along with regular backups, this includes using strong passwords (consisting of letters, numbers and symbols), downloading only from trusted resources and not leaving your devices unattended. Also, don’t be tempted to act on email or text messages that ask you to reveal personal or financial information—they are likely a “phishing” attempt from a scam artist.

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Ask Marc

Salt zman

JOHN GOLDSTEIN

Questions about
electronics or computers
you purchased at
Costco? Email them to:

connection@costco.com.

Or send them to:

Tech Connection
The Costco Connection
P.O. Box 34088

And concerning kids, rather than placing an Internet-connected computer in a child’s room, keep it in a central location in the home, such as a kitchen, family room or any other highly trafficked area. Kids can feel independent while surfing online but not be “alone.”

Seattle, WA 98124-1088
or fax to (425) 313-6718.

Please include

Also, remind them to never give out their address, phone number or other personal information, such as where they go to school—or upload any photos that might reveal this info. This applies to social networking sites (such as Facebook), instant messaging programs, chat rooms and emails. C

“Tech Connection”
in the subject line. Marc
will answer selected ques-
tions in this column. We
regret that unpublished
questions cannot be
answered individually.

Safety first

Protecting all your devices from online attacks

By Marc Saltzman

THOSE WHO OWN a computer, smartphone or tablet likely understand the importance of protecting their favorite digital device—and, perhaps more important, the information that resides on it—but only a third of us are actually taking the proper precautions to do so.

Unfortunately, there’s no shortage of threats out there, be it nasty viruses and other malicious software (“malware”) that can infect your computer or mobile device, or hackers and scammers who want to steal your valuable data.

“Our PCs, Macs and mobile devices today
house a large number of valuable digital assets—
everything from photos and music to personal and
financial data,” notes Todd Gebhart, co-president
of McAfee, a leading security software company.
“Losing these assets can be devastating, particularly
given the money and time we invest in acquiring
and using them.”
Gebhart has also seen a growing abundance of
cyber-criminal activity, perpetrated by people “out
to pilfer sensitive information like credit card, bank
account and Social Security numbers, with the goal
of stealing your identity for financial gain.”
In fact, McAfee is currently collecting nearly
2 million new malware samples each month and
identifying 8,900 new malicious websites each day.
Increasingly, this potentially damaging software is
infecting mobile devices through websites or down-
loaded apps that might contain hidden files, on top
of the many voice-, email- and text-based scams.

The good news, says Gebhart, is that people are becoming more aware of the need to protect their digital devices in our always-connected world. “They are hearing more about the loss of data, of identities, cyber-bullying and threats to child safety on the Internet,” he explains.

Being aware is one thing, but acting on it is another. So, what to do? The following is a short checklist that should help you protect your devices, your information and your family.

Back up your data. First things first: Back up your important files on a regular basis, just in case they’re compromised due to a malware attack, theft, fire or flood, or hardware malfunction. For your computer, pick up an external hard drive and make a backup of your irreplaceable digital photos and

More in archives
On Costco.com, enter “Connection.”
At Online Edition, search
“Tech Connection.”

The Costco Connection Costco offers a variety of security programs from leading software makers in the warehouses and online at Costco.com. Also available are external hard drives to back up your valuable data.

Marc Saltzman,
a leading high-tech
reporter, contributes
to more than three
dozen prominent
publications, appears
on radio and TV, and is
the author of 14 books.