I guess what I forget is that some people are really just beginning to grasp the whole Internet is really a place concept. Computer security really is important and that real and damaging things can happen as a result of venturing there. I am not a real long time PC user and many lessons I've learned, I learned them the hard way. We've been PC users at my house since 1996 and have gone from 28.8 dial up Internet access with one shared PC to always on cable connectivity and 5 PCs sharing a connection wireless style. Learned about mal, scum, ad, wares from the file sharing heydays of the post free Napster era. We had a teenager in the house and we all shared the same PC back then. Hell I'll admit it I have even fallen for the old in order to use this software for free we need to install something else line before. He wasn't the only one that ever took the bait. I have also been the victim of drive by installs and fought infections all the way to the point of reinstalling my OS more times than I can count. I learned about using antivirus, firewall, and patching my OS from getting viruses and worm infestations. Thing was back in our early days for us the stakes weren't so high as they are now. Sure things went wrong but they were annoyances more than anything else. I mean for us anyway online banking and bill paying were just getting cranked up around here. Data for about the first 5 years was a disposable commodity in our household. The PC really didn't have anything that personal to us on its hard drive. Sure it was inconvenient as hell to lose everything and start over but that was all it was really. Times changed rapidly though online banking, 401K management, bill paying, shopping, selling, even some online subscription stuff are pretty common with us now. Then there is the whole 100, 200, even 300+ gigabyte hard drive thing that is so common on PCs now lots of our personal stuff only exists as data. Backup strategies, quality protection products, patched and an up to date OS are musts, not options these days. As homes go we are more connected than some less connected than others, one thing is for sure though the PC has gone from being a novelty entertainment item to more or less a necessity in our home.
Anyone who knows me knows that I am pretty enthusiastic about PCs. It works out sometimes that people will even ask me for advice when they are about to make a purchase and as strange as it sounds some folks still don't own a computer. They will says things like we want/need one mostly for the kids really. I try and explain then that it really is in their best interest to become really well acquainted with the device that there are actually are certain risks associated with the use of a computer, especially where
young people are concerned. I will even go so far as to tell them that it is not just a one time purchase that actually between Internet and various security product charges there is really like sort of a yearly maintenance fee. I grasp for ways to explain what a
socially engineered threat is. The
evils of ad/spy/malware, why patching is important but what could potentially happen
even on a patched system. Explain if any of this does happen they need to maintain some sort of backup strategy for their personal stuff because even if the machine can be brought back to a workable state the fact is that it was compromised and a reinstall of the OS is probably a good idea as well as changing email addresses, sensitive login information, possibly getting new credit cards ...etc. Explain about alternative browsers' and email clients' possible benefits ...etc. Some get it some don't and that has really got me thinking a lot here lately maybe I should be telling them consider using Linux or buying a MAC as sort of a lower their exposure approach as opposed to a beefed up perimeter defense approach. Realistically I don't see Linux as a good option for a person looking to try out computers for the first time I mean when they can't just go to CompUSA or wherever and pick up the gadget/printer/card ...etc. and hook it up to their machine and have it working straight away then disappointment will be their next emotive display. MACs on the other hand seem to have a very broad base of hardware available for them. They look good too. Just wish I had more experience with them. Who knows though maybe
Vista along with
Windows Live OneCare will simplify the average users experience and impact PC security in an overall positive way. One thing is for sure now the stakes for the average person are very high where personal security is concerned. Getting people to realize it is a big challenge though.
