What are the best computer security ideas and tips for people running online businesses? What are the best email security tips and ideas to safeguard your files and privacy online? Well, I advice you read on to find out.

One of the rights you owe your employer is to protect their physical and information assets as well as keep all sensitive information secure.

Today, there is a constant increase in the number of security risks that can reveal your personal information or that of your employer. So, it’s very important for you to observe as many security measures as possible. Here are 10 great ideas on how you can protect your personal or employer’s information from being compromised by hackers and malicious programs:

Best Computer Email Security Ideas and Tips

1.  Use strong passwords

If you have been using your state capital or your mother’s first name as the password to your computer, you would be doing yourself a huge favor by changing it right now. Such passwords are weak and are very easy to break through, as they provide hackers and malicious programs easy access to your computer and network.

Always use strong passwords, which are hard to crack. A strong password is fairly long (at least 8-characters long) and combines uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. It doesn’t contain a complete dictionary word and is totally different from your real name or user name.

2.  Maintain communication with your IT department

Ensure that you maintain communication with your employer’s IT department. This will keep you abreast of latest updates, security measures, and new security software that will help you keep your computer and network secure.

3.  Disable the “save password” option

Never assume that you are the only one using your computer. You never know if an intruder is watching out for when you are away. So, avoid automatically saving your password, as this out rightly defeats the objective of having a password in the first place. Each time your computer presents a “save password” option, always choose no.

4.  Lock your computer when you are away

Always lock your computer or even shut it down, whenever you are going away. Even if you are leaving it for a short time, keep it locked, as anyone can assess it secretly while you are away. So, don’t take the risk.

5.  Use password protection on your screensaver

Sometimes you may be carried away by sleep or you may be detained off your table for long periods. You should always plan for such situations, by setting up your computer to lock itself after a specified period of inactivity. This way, the information on your computer will remain protected even if you forgot to lock it before leaving it.

To set up screensaver password protection on your PC, simply right click on an empty space on your desktop and click “personalize” in the menu list displayed. Then click the screensaver section and choose the duration of time for which you want your PC to remain active before locking automatically. Select “On Resume, display logon screen” and hit the “apply” button.

6.  Ignore questionable emails

If you receive an email from an unknown sender, the best thing to do is ignore it at first. Also, never hasten to open an email if it contains questionable text, files, or attachments. What you should do is forward such emails to your IT administrator to verify if they are safe or not.

7.  Encrypt files containing confidential information

Chances are you have sensitive information on your computer. It could be your personal information. It could be vital information about your employer. It could be information about customers. It could be back statements and other vital documents.

So, to secure all sensitive information that you may have on your PC, always encrypt the files containing such information. By encrypting your folders and files, you will protect them from unwanted access.

8.  Encrypt emails when necessary

When sending emails containing information that is critical to your business or otherwise highly confidential, encrypt the email and any files you attach to it. Such email can only be opened by recipients who have the private key matching the public key you used while encrypting the message.

9.  Share files over the network

Instead of opening up your computer to your co-employees and giving them some degree of access to it, collaborate on documents by sharing them over the network. Even at that, ensure that only those who need the shared documents gain access to them.

10.  Filter out your spam mails

Not only are spam mails very annoying, but they can contain dangerous viruses that can damage your computer and network.

By turning on your spam filter, you will prevent spam mails from landing in your inbox or reduce the rate at which you receive them to the barest minimum. Most of the time, your email service provider would have kept the filter active by default. But you can double check to confirm.