Personal and business computers are now centre-stage in the storage of sensitive information. Unlike ten years ago, computer technology is relied on by the technical and non-technical alike and goes hand in hand with the world's reliance on the internet. Online transactions have become commonplace with banking, socialising, learning and even employment made possible remotely. The benefits of this readily available technology are also countered by some negative side effects. The trail left by all this interaction may not be evident to the casual computer user, but to the unscrupulously criminal minded there can be enough to compromise personal and financial information. No more so than when you put your computer in the hands of a third party.
Many people know someone who dabbles in computer repair or is a whiz with particular software packages. In such a situation, you're making your information available to a third party. If your computer is then taken away, you've put them in an elevated position of trust.
There is a distinct advantage in having desktop or laptop computers repaired on-site and is a practice most businesses have engaged in for years but is relatively new in the domestic field.
When a PC Tech is repairing on-site, there is much less opportunity to extract delicate information undetected. The only pitfall is that on-site repairs are usually more expensive than workshop repairs and are rarely at a fixed price unless it's a quite straight forward job.
Some safeguards you should take when trusting others with your computer are....
1. You can, and should, download and use a file encryption tool prior to handing your computer over to anyone. One such program is 'Axcrypt' which is a freeware utility and will allow you to set a password for files of your choosing. The files will then not be accessible unless the password is entered. Do, however, bear in mind that if you forget the password, you'll have no access to the files. Many windows versions have encryption settings but if you have a problem with your computer you're better off using a third party application.
2. Another option is to transfer the sensitive files to a backup location such as a usb key and securely delete the original. A handy utility for secure deletion is 'eraser' which is again free and available to download from the 'Major Geeks' website. Once the computer is returned, you just transfer the files back to their original location.
3. Additionally, clear out your browser and Operating system's temporary files. This can be done using one of my favourite utilities, 'C cleaner', which can be downloaded for free from 'File Hippo'. When you've installed it, go to the 'options' section and set it to 'secure delete'. This is slower but more secure.
4. Never Ever keep pin numbers or credit or debit card details on your personal computer....FOR ANY REASON! That's against banking terms and conditions of use and you'll find that if you're a victim of fraud due to such an error, the bank will turn it's back on you.
After following these guidelines, you'll greatly decrease the chances of anyone being able to retrieve your sensitive data.
