Computer security is like an onion - or a parfait!

As Donkey in Shrek said so succinctly, "Everybody loves a parfait". The discussion in the movie was about layers and that is the best security philosophy to protecting your computer as well.

The first layer that you should use to protect your home network and computers is a good hardware firewall. Most routers have a firewall built in but you must check out the configuration because the default settings may not be protective enough. You really want to lock the firewall down hard and only poke pinholes in it where you absolutely have to. Think twice, no three times, before you make those changes and open up a hole in your firewall. A properly configured hardware firewall provides layer one security for your entire network inside the firewall, both wired and wireless.

The second layer to be used is a software firewall. All modern OS versions today including MS, Linux and Mac come with a firewall built into the default configuration. For information on the default firewall for your OS, click on these links for Windows, Linux, and Mac. A software firewall provides a second barrier to unauthorized access to your computer and can be customized for the needs of each machine. You can allow software to function on a selective basis. These are called exceptions and these changes will open ports on your computer and allow data traffic in and out of the computer to permit programs to function properly. This way you only open the holes on the computer where you need that kind of access

The third layer is a comprehensive security software. There are many programs out there from many vendors, including free and open source options as well as commercial paid options. The choice is up the user, but on my 7 computers at home I use a combination or free and paid security software. Just make sure that whatever you choose, you keep it updated and keep an eye on it. Do not assume that it will keep itself current, perform regular checks and verify its operation. Configure the security software to perform regular full scans and keep it as tight as you can live with.

Because no vendors security software can possibly protect your computer from everything, I recommend using one or more of the available online scanners on a regular basis to double-check to security of your computer. Many vendors have free online scanners that are easily used to check for possible infections. I use two or three of them at least once a week. These offerings change quickly but a Google search of "free online virus scanner" will guide you to them. Make sure you pick those offered by the big name AV software vendors to make sure you do not get compromised by something malicious masquerading as a AV scanner.

And finally, for those who are true geeks, there are more advance security tools that can detect and clean malware from a system without even using the installed OS.

Do not let yourself be lulled into a false sense of security just because your computer came with AV software installed. Be proactive and make sure it is working properly, and check your layers of security to make sure that you and your family are protected. Everybody may love a parfait, but nobody likes an infected computer.