Three rules for online safety, McKenna style

I recently started following a blog written by Brian Krebs. Brian’s a sharp guy and his blog is about online security news and investigations. If you want to check him out, he’s at krebsonsecurity.com. Most of the time, Brian’s posts are far more detailed than the average person is going to want because he investigates the issues and presents the facts.

Personally, I’d like to say a big thank you to Brian for his diligence on this issue. He’s out there to help consumers and that probably means the bad guys don’t like him very much. The way I look at it, the more they dislike him, the more we consumers like him.

Back in 2011, Brian posted Kreb’s 3 Basic Rules on Safety. These three common-sense rules follow the same approach I like to recommend, which is to be proactive about your computer’s security. Here are Brian’s rules, along with some insights from your favorite amateur sleuth, McKenna. The point is, you want to remember these rules.

1) “If you didn’t go looking for it, don’t install it.” Seems obvious, right? This is like going to buy a new shirt and coming home with shoes instead because they were on sale.

2) “If you installed it, update it.” Yes, updating software is a pain. But, as Brian points out, the good guys—the ones you bought the software from—are always updating it for a reason. Keep it current and you’re going to keep it safer. Think of it as the computer version of dental checkups.

3) “If you no longer need it, remove it.” Oh yeah, Just in Case Syndrome. How much extra crap do I have on my machine? I have the same problem in my garage. I’ve got tools and stuff I bought to use for a specific job. The cost to replace the wrench set I bought to work on my 1968 Fiat way back in 1973 would be huge. And, Fiats are making a comeback. I know because I saw the commercials.