Tips from Cert US:-

How can you minimize the access other people have to your information?

You may be able to easily identify people who could, legitimately or not, gain physical access to your computer—family members, roommates, co-workers, members of a cleaning crew, and maybe others. Identifying the people who could gain remote access to your computer becomes much more difficult. As long as you have a computer and connect it to a network, you are vulnerable to someone or something else accessing or corrupting your information; however, you can develop habits that make it more difficult.

• Lock your computer when you are away from it. Even if you only step away from your computer for a few minutes, it’s enough time for someone else to destroy or corrupt your information. Locking your computer prevents another person from being able to simply sit down at your computer and access all of your information.
• Disconnect your computer from the Internet when you aren’t using it. The development of technologies such as DSL and cable modems have made it possible for users to be online all the time, but this convenience comes with risks. The likelihood that attackers or viruses scanning the network for available computers will target your computer becomes much higher if your computer is always connected. Depending on what method you use to connect to the Internet, disconnecting may mean disabling a wireless connection, turning off your computer or modem, or disconnecting cables. When you are connected, make sure that you have a firewall enabled (see Understanding Firewalls for more information).
• Evaluate your security settings. Most software, including browsers and email programs, offers a variety of features that you can tailor to meet your needs and requirements. Enabling certain features to increase convenience or functionality may leave you more vulnerable to being attacked. It is important to examine the settings, particularly the security settings, and select options that meet your needs without putting you at increased risk. If you install a patch or a new version of the software, or if you hear of something that might affect your settings, reevaluate your settings to make sure they are still appropriate (see Understanding Patches, Safeguarding Your Data, and Evaluating Your Web Browser’s Security Settings for more information).

What other steps can you take?

Sometimes the threats to your information aren’t from other people but from natural or technological causes. Although there is no way to control or prevent these problems, you can prepare for them and try to minimize the damage.

• Protect your computer against power surges and brief outages. Aside from providing outlets to plug in your computer and all of its peripherals, some power strips protect your computer against power surges. Many power strips now advertise compensation if they do not effectively protect your computer. Power strips alone will not protect you from power outages, but there are products that do offer an uninterruptible power supply when there are power surges or outages. During a lightning storm or construction work that increases the odds of power surges, consider shutting your computer down and unplugging it from all power sources.
• Back up all of your data. Whether or not you take steps to protect yourself, there will always be a possibility that something will happen to destroy your data. You have probably already experienced this at least once— losing one or more files due to an accident, a virus or worm, a natural event, or a problem with your equipment. Regularly backing up your data on a CD or network reduces the stress and other negative consequences that result from losing important information (see Real-World Warnings Keep You Safe Online for more information). Determining how often to back up your data is a personal decision. If you are constantly adding or changing data, you may find weekly backups to be the best alternative; if your content rarely changes, you may decide that your backups do not need to be as frequent. You don’t need to back up software that you own on CD-ROM or DVD-ROM—you can reinstall the software from the original media if necessary.

Both the National Cyber Security Alliance and US-CERT have identified this topic as one of the top tips for home users.

Some tips from SANS:-

Don’t tell ANYONE your password

One way someone could learn your password is to phone you claiming to be from another part of your organization, maybe your IT or Audit teams, and say they need your account details to let them investigate problem. This should never be necessary. Good systems are set up so that nobody but you will ever know your password and authorized IT workers have their own accounts giving them access to what they need.

A password should be used by only one person.

Passwords are like bubble gum; they are much better when used by only one person. If you share your computer with others, each person should have a unique account, username, and password. Don’t allow another user to know or use your password, and don’t ask another user if you can use theirs. When it’s your turn to use the computer, log the last user off, and log on using your own username and password. When you take a break, don’t leave your computer open. Log off or lock it. And remember: Passwords shorter then 8 characters are easy to crack; avoid common words and proper names; and use both uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.

Beware of USB flash drive’s autoplay feature

1. If you find a USB token in the wild, don’t plug it into your USB port as it could autoinstall software if your system is set to autoplay CDROMs.
2. Though many organizations’ standards call for disabling autoplay of CDROMs, you should check and set yours. To disable autoplay follow these instructions (for WinXP):
• Open My Computer
• Right click on your cdrom drive selecting “Properties”
• Select Autoplay page and set each menu option to “Select an Action to Perform” = “Take no action”
• Click Apply (you must apply each setting change one at a time!)
• Repeat for each item in the list (alternatively ensure that all are set to “Prompt me for action”)

Take time to explore security settings
Whether it is financial management software, instant messaging or a social networking website, take the time to see what security settings are offered to protect you and your information. Follow these steps for all of the software you use, not just email.

1. Go to Options or Preferences
2. Every program is different, so look for words like “Privacy”, “Safety” or “Security” and click on them.
3. Select the most restrictive option (i.e. only let the people you approve view your information or contact you — or the one that best accommodates your business needs).
4. Save the settings.