The temptation for many people is to take a casual attitude: "I don't have any government secrets on my PC , why should I be worried about security?". Statistically speaking, the odds are good that the ordinary user will never find themselves the target of a hacker, but there are other reasons to consider computer security. Probably the best answer to the, "why should I bother?" question is "Murphy's Law". Human beings are curious creatures. For example, you're in the middle of a project at work and leave your desk unattended for just a few moments. The chances are not all that remote that a co-worker passing by your PC might think, "Hmmm. I wonder what they 're working on..." The ramifications of this are obvious, especially if your project includes salary or other sensitive data. Too paranoid? How about a similar scenario at home. You step away to answer the phone, and your child decides to take the opportunity to play their "Barney and friends" game. Oops, a couple of ill placed keystrokes and there goes all your hard work.

By now you get the picture. Keeping all your data secured doesn't necessarily involve high intrigue and mysterious shadowy figures. Most data loss is due to accident or carelessness, and can easily be prevented by a few common sense measures.

Otherwise reliable power sources have a disconcerting tendency to become unreliable just when you get a few paragraphs of unsaved data on your screen. Get in the habit of saving your work every few minutes. For example, you should never trust the battery in your laptop. As you type those lines in Word, every paragraph or so, hit ALT, F, S, a simple keystroke combination which saves your file.

No network administrator in their right mind would consider running a file server without first connecting it to an uninterruptable power supply or UPS. A UPS is basically a large battery with a very sensitive power line monitor. A momentary interruption in the power supply may only cause your lights to blink, but it could cause your computer to lock up, reboot, or worse. The good news is that these large expensive UPS's are available in smaller, less expensive versions for individual use as well.

A password-protected screensaver is a quick and effective method for securing your PC. If you're comfortable with Windows 95, (this is not for the faint of heart!) see the sidebar for step-by-step directions for creating a quick keyboard shortcut to activate your screensaver. Something else that you should keep in mind, Windows screensavers are not extremely secure. By rebooting the computer and bypassing any logins a determined person can gain access to all files on your hard drive.

Because of the relatively poor security of Windows computers, a couple of procedures should be considered for added file security. If your computer is on a network, the safest place for your files is in a directory on a network server. Not only are your files protected by the strength of your login password (more about that in a moment), but, chances are, they're backed up every night and safe in the event of a computer crash. If you're unsure of where to keep your files, check with your network administrator.

A word about passwords: passwords are to your files what locks are to your house. You wouldn't leave your house or car unlocked or secured only by a cheap slider type lock, so why use your name or your children's or spouse's name as your password? An effective password will be at least five or six characters long, containing a mix of upper and lower case letters and numbers or punctuation. One way to avoid having to either memorize 'A9zu&P' or, worse yet, keep it on a post-it note near your computer is to take a meaningful word and twist it slightly. For example, your wife's name is Marianne, 'M4rr1anNE' makes a great password. If your data is very sensitive, why not lock the individual file as well as your computer? Most common word processor and spreadsheet applications support password protection. Again, they're not extremely secure, but they will deter all but the most determined. It also makes good sense to change your password regularly.

Be sure to keep your programs, especially Internet browsers up-to-date. There is currently a lot of scrutiny being focused on browser software, especially Microsoft's Internet Explorer and Netscape's Navigator and Communicator. While this attention probably makes Microsoft and Netscape a little uncomfortable, it does contribute to the plugging of security leaks, which might otherwise go unnoticed.

This really just begins to scratch the surface. If you're interested in more in-depth details about computers and security, try a web search on 'security' or 'encryption' or 'hackers'. There is a wealth of fascinating material available to an interested browser. The most important thing to remember through it all is this: even though German hacker gangs, NASA computer security breaches, and hard drives being probed via the internet certainly make better press, the true source of most security problems and their corresponding solutions is the user, you and me. A few common sense routines followed regularly could help keep you from experiencing one of these stories first hand.

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