Windows Vista Security For Dummies®

Chapter 17. Nine Security Risks and How to Thwart Them

In This Chapter

• Understanding the inherent dangers of Internet use

• Protecting yourself from e‐mail threats

• Expanding your security to include PDAs and other mobile devices

The release of Vista is akin to throwing down the gauntlet to all hackers, identity thieves, and other technical crooks. It is a challenge that undoubtedly will be responded to by the darker technical community with enthusiasm and passion. Vista is not only the new kid on the block but is also being lauded as the most secure Windows operating system (OS) to date, making it a difficult target for crooks to resist. In this chapter, you find out about the most likely types of attacks you might encounter and what you can do to defend your computer from them. Although I don't cover specific code vulnerabilities in this chapter, I do talk about those general risks that Vista brings to the table, as well as other risks that might be inherent in your computing environment and those that you might introduce yourself.

Always Being Connected

Without a doubt, a broadband connection brings you a speedy and more reliable Internet connection than its clunky predecessor (pokey ol' dial‐up). You don't have to wait for the modem to dial, you don't have to worry about busy signals, and you have a connection that is always on and ready to go. Most of us cannot imagine how we ever lived with dial‐up. Although I could never imagine going back to that archaic Internet connection, I will ...