Backing up your files is essential not only for preserving important photos and documents, but also for having recourse if your computer is ever attacked. On Windows 8 and 10, you can use File History to back up to an external hard drive over USB. In Windows 7, Windows Backup does mostly the same thing. […]

If you have an older PC you’re still using, consider installing a Linux distribution such as Ubuntu alongside the existing Microsoft Windows installation. While not inherently more secure, Linux-based operating systems are less frequently targeted by malware. Plus their hardware requirements are very minimal, meaning they’ll run well even on aging machines.

If you forget the password to your local account on your PC, all might seem lost, since there’s no one to email for a reset link. However, you can hedge against this possibility by creating a password reset disk beforehand. “Disk” is a misnomer; all you’ll need is a USB stick or SD Card. Simply […]

Firewalls are staples of enterprise security and they can be useful for individuals, too. A firewall blocks incoming connections, which in some cases may be needed to protect against rogue traffic from apps like BitTorrent clients. Firewall capabilities are built into Windows and macOS.

Once you leave your computer, you don’t want someone else gaining unauthorized access to it. Setting an automatic logoff timer ensures that it’s not vulnerable when you step away for an extended period. This can be done easily on both Windows and macOS.

Windows PowerShell is a vital tool for programmers and other IT professionals. For everyone else, it’s a potential security time bomb waiting to go off, because it can enable the execution of secretive fileless malware. Turning off both PowerShell and WMI on Windows can decrease your risks of a serious infection.