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By the NRMC Team
Shortly after the I Love You” virus shut down computers all over the world, The Wall Street Journal published an editorial titled, “Love Bug Victims Don’t Want the Cure.” The gist of the piece was that folks actually enjoy these disruptions to the routine and that it is especially good for companies that market virus software. Their share prices go through the roof each time there is an outbreak.
Such a view is perhaps too cynical for most of us. Probably, most people would just as soon be spared the excitement, thank you very much. So for the rest of us here are a few tips on how to play it safe in cyberspace.
Computers are neither mysterious nor magical. They are a tool to get things done just like a car or a filing cabinet. But like a car you need to check the oil now and then and like a filing cabinet, one needs to take appropriate precautions to protect it and its contents. The Internet has taken your computer from the relative safety of your office and sent it out into the big wide world. Most of the other computers it meets will be friendly, a few will be hostile. To maintain the integrity of your data you need to approach the problem like you would any other risk. Although you can’t reduce the risk of having a problem to zero, you can, by using some common sense rules, reduce the likelihood of having problems with your PC.
© 2003 Nonprofit Risk Management Center
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