Chappelle - Protect yourself online: how to cover your assets every time you log on

Everyone wants their computer to be secure! Protect Yourself Online is written in normal language for typical computer users and is full of practical information you can use immediately.

-Mark Victor Hansen

Co-creator, #1 New York Times best-selling series Chicken Soup for the Soul, Coauthor, The One Minute Millionaire

In Protect Yourself Online David Chappelle has made computer security easy to understand. Every page is packed with useful information, without boring technicalities. Use his practical advice to make your computer safe, while you enjoy everything the Internet has to offer.

-Robert G Allen,

New York Times best-selling author, Multiple Streams of Internet Income , and co-author, One Minute Millionaire , with Mark Victor Hansen

Protect Yourself Online

How to Cover Your Assets Every Time You Log On

2001, 2007 David Chappelle

All Rights Reserved

Copyright 2001, 2007 David Chappelle

All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form by any means, including electronic, mechanical, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the author and/or publisher.

This publication is sold without warranty, either expressed or implied. The opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author. Neither the author nor the publisher assumes any responsibility or liability for any losses, damages, or injury resulting from action taken or not taken by the reader.

The author selected all products and companies mentioned in this book strictly as examples for purposes of illustration. To the best of the authors knowledge, all are successful and reputable. However, mention of a company or product by the author is neither an endorsement nor a recommendation in any way.

Note for Librarians: A cataloguing record for this book is available from Library and Archives Canada at www. collectionscanada.ca/amicus/index-e.html

ISBN 1-4120-0298-2

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Contents

This is the part even serious readers often skip. Its like when movie credits are running: grab popcorn, put drink within easy reach, and get comfortable.

Im extremely grateful to you, the reader. And to all the customers and friends who have asked me computer-related questions over the years. This little volume is composed mostly of my answers to your questions.

Thank You.

-Teresa for sticking with me all these years, and for sometimes being the only person who believes.

-Larry Robson for showing me how to get up off my butt and finish this.

-Robert Allen, Angela Adair-Hoy, and MJ Rose for teaching me how to do this.

-David Tanaka and Sean Carruthers for taking a chance by giving me my first writing assignments, and for their patience while turning this geek into a writer.

-Geovanni Gutierrez for really teaching me about computers while on-the-job.

-Anne Chappelle, for many years of proofreading, advice, and encouragement.

-Ricky Las Vegas, for providing anecdotes and answering technical questions only a senior software developer could answer.

-Jeremy Slaven of DS1 Design for his Apple computer advice, and for the cover.

-Chris Talbot and Mary Ann Bastien for proofreading and opinions.

-All of my English teachers, who Im sure have done their best to forget me, but especially two: Darlene Eggleton, for starting me correctly, and Michelle Pretzer, for keeping me on the prescriptive grammarian path. I hope you dont mind I strayed off that path slightly to keep the book easier to read.

-Steve McKenzie for giving me the computer technician position that launched my career.

-Davis Boudreau for addicting me to computers through all those late nights spent cobbling systems together, and for giving me my first computer contract.

-Dwayne Lamb of Visual Byte Inc for advice, and for being the first to demonstrate the proper conduct of a true computer professional.

-Carol Randell for advice and for teaching me how to cover my tracks by deleting personal DOS files from an employers computer, many years ago.

-Mitch Madill for business acumen and generosity.

There are many others, and Im sorry theyve been left out. So many people have helped and taught me that acknowledging them all would require a separate book. Im very fortunate.

Websites

Throughout the text Ive mentioned websites where readers can go for additional information, and download free and commercial programs. PLEASE understand that the Internet is a vast place where things change every minute. During the time required to assemble this book, more than one company went out of business, dropped or improved a product, or moved a website location. If Ive listed a specific link and by the time you read this that link has changed or moved, please dont curse me. Instead, go to your favorite search engine or directory list and search for that site.

According to typical media sources, the Internet is only for identity thieves, money launderers, terrorist recruiters, unscrupulous advertisers, and pornographers, all ready to pounce on unsuspecting new users.

Heres the real news: The Internet is neither good nor evil.

Think of it this way: Cars are wonderful machines, but car crashes are responsible for plenty of pain and heartbreak. Modern western medicine puts us back together after a car crash, but medical malpractice kills more people than car crashes. (Sources: US Department of Justice; Statistics Canada).

Should we restrict people from driving or seeing doctors? Of course not. Nor should we try to restrict usage of the Internet.

The key word here is responsibility. For decades now its been fashionable to look around for something to blame instead of accepting responsibility for our actions.

Information in these pages will help you take control of and accept responsibility for your own safety. Nobody else is going to do it for you. Contrary to popular belief, not even agents of government have any legal obligation to protect you. It is your responsibility to keep yourself safe. Self-protection is not only your right, but also an undeniable instinct.

The best way to protect your computer is to never connect to the Internet and never add any files or programs. But then you lose almost every benefit of modern computing. While thats not very practical, you can still protect yourself by turning off your modem, or unplugging your phone line from your modem when youre not using it.

For many years Ive been teaching individuals how to protect their information, data, and computers. After repeatedly lecturing individual users, I decided to put some basic security knowledge together. The next time someone asks me an Internet security question, I can quietly hand her a copy of this book.