Simple ways to protect yourself from botnets

Simple ways to protect yourself from botnets - CBS News: " . . .you can mitigate a vast amount of your risk by following five simple and inexpensive security rules: Upgrade to a 64-bit OS. Most malware can only deal with 32-bit versions of Windows, so upgrading to 64-bit Windows 7 or Windows 8 automatically insulates you from most malicious software automatically. Upgrade your browser. Many security experts recommend Chrome, but even switching to Internet Explorer 9 or 10 can dramatically improve your security posture. Use strong passwords. No, passwords can't protect you from all malware, no matter how strong they happen to be. But this is a first line of defense you can't afford not to take. Patch your software. Some of the biggest security threats -- such as Office and Adobe Reader, not to mention Windows itself -- are easily patchable. Keep all of your software updated regularly. In 2010, the Aurora Botnet ravaged a slew of companies, including Google, Adobe, and Yahoo. Microsoft was unscathed, mainly because the company takes the elementary precaution of keeping all of its corporate-managed PCs fully patched. Keep everyone educated. Whether you manage your home network or a small office, make sure everyone who uses PCs knows security best practices, such as not falling for phishing mail and using unique passwords on all websites."


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