Information technology and cybersecurity professionals are tasked with managing the confidentiality, integrity, and availability (CIA) of the data information systems they manage. The average user does not spend a lot of time focusing on the confidentiality (security) aspect; however, when they cannot access information they seek, they perceive this as a critical issue. Although they could have a variety of issues, availability issues do not generally define how safe their computer is, unless the root cause of the availability issue is a cybersecurity issue. During the routine use of their computers, most users do not monitor the health of their computer hardware and software, which is often indicative to how safe their system is. There are several things a user must proactively do to ensure their computer is safe. They need to maintain the currency of their computer’s firmware, operating system, and applications; ensure they have a reputable virus scanner that is kept up-to-date with the latest virus definitions. They need to ensure their network is set up with highest level of wireless protection. They need to ensure their computer and social media privacy settings are set up to allow minimal accessibility to their information. Finally, they need to practice strong information security practices inclusive of strong passwords and only providing personal and financial information on websites that have the appropriate level of encryption.

To evaluate a Windows-based computer system, a user can start by accessing the “Windows Update and Security” under settings. By clicking on the “Windows Update” icon, the computer will validate it has the latest operating system patches. These patches are published often to mitigate vulnerabilities that are exploited in the operating system. A user can also view the “Update History” here to evaluate that all attempted updates successfully installed, and they can adjust the scheduling for automatic updates that least impact the user’s computer usage schedule. It is important to note that the user must ensure their computer is connected to the network during these times to be able to download and install these operating system updates. By tabbing back into “Windows Update and Security,” users can access the “Windows Security” tab. Under this tab, you can utilize various native health check tools to view the status of virus and threat protection, firewall and network protection, and various other system health checks.

Users should access their virus scanner and ensure it is running the latest virus definitions and ensure that it is set to automatically update the virus definitions. Users should access their commercial wireless routers and ensure that they are set up with a high-level of security and contains a strong password. The router settings can be accessed by inputting the gateway internet protocol (IP) address into any web browser. For a lot of routers, this IP address is 192.168.0.1; however, the address can be obtained by physically viewing the router label or contacting the user’s Internet Service Provider (ISP). Users should access their browsers and set up various privacy setting associated with third-party cookies and safe browsing. Within social media, users can access the privacy settings and ensure their user profiles are set up to limit access their profiles to a very limited audience, such as their friends. Additionally, they should also hide personally identifiable information (PII) from viewing. Many times, when these settings are not set up with privacy in mind, users will find various web artifacts showing up while browsing or getting an upswing in spam emails and/or telemarketers. Another indication that a computer has been exploited is when the computer processing slows down indicative of potential malware issues.