Question on PC security

[Arthur Hanson]

Is there a good combination of hardware and software that can improve PC security? I have used different security programs and have had security issues. Any thoughts or comments appreciated. Can software alone give adequate security? Thanks

 

[blueone]

What security issues have you had?

 

[Arthur Hanson]

What security issues have you had?

I've had numerous attacks on everything from credit cards to my brokerage account. Fortunately, my brokerage stopped them all and asked if they were my transactions and this is in the six figures. Some credit cards have been hacked before we even took possession of them. I have a friend who uses a program on his Apple phone that requires a confirmation picture of him with every transaction. Also, one of our banks will send a confirmation code to complete a transaction. Is there anything like this for Android? It would be nice if the same could be done with my laptop. Any thoughts or comments appreciated, THANKS.

 

[siliconbruh999]

If you wanna minimize such things remove bloatware in windows and switch browser probable Firefox with ad blocker or brave don't use chrome those ads in sites just increase the attack surface. You can also use DNS based add and malware blocking using Cloudflare.

Change your primary email as well if you can and update it chances are they are in the wrong hands.
also you can use this site to reference what information was leaked regarding you with your email.

Have I Been Pwned: Check if your email address has been exposed in a data breach

Have I Been Pwned allows you to check whether your email address has been exposed in a data breach.

haveibeenpwned.com

Windows

Take note of any DNS addresses you might have set up, and save them in a safe place in case you need to use them later.

developers.cloudflare.com

 

[blueone]

I've had numerous attacks on everything from credit cards to my brokerage account. Fortunately, my brokerage stopped them all and asked if they were my transactions and this is in the six figures. Some credit cards have been hacked before we even took possession of them. I have a friend who uses a program on his Apple phone that requires a confirmation picture of him with every transaction. Also, one of our banks will send a confirmation code to complete a transaction. Is there anything like this for Android? It would be nice if the same could be done with my laptop. Any thoughts or comments appreciated, THANKS.

Wow. That's terrible. I'm not even sure how a credit card can be hacked before you activate it. Most banks require two-factor authentication for activation.

A few tips beyond what siliconbruh999 posted:

1. Use a VPN for all internet use. (I like Nord, but others are good too.)
2. Use an independent password manager. I like 1Password, but there are others about as good. Personally, I think password managers are a PITA, especially if you share accounts with a significant other, but they're far more secure than not using one.
3. When purchasing from websites, use PayPal, ApplePay, or AmazonPay, on checkout, if one of them is available. They hide your credit card numbers and bank information.
4. If you must use websites that require you to enter a credit card, get a credit card from a bank which provides a virtual card number for each transaction. (Like Capital One.)
4a. Do not save your credit card information on ANY website.
5. Enable two-factor authentication for every financial institution website and phone app. IMO, move your accounts from any institution which does not support T-FA and trusted device management for computers, phones, and tablets.
6. Reboot all phones, computers, and tablets regularly, like daily. Some malware hides in memory, and a shutdown and restart often flushes it out.
7. If you insist on using websites which are likely to include malware, or run applications which are not from a reputable source or a "playstore", do so only from Windows or MacOS, and use a VMM with a separate virtual machine just for these questionable sites and applications.
8. Enable storage encryption on any computing or storage device that offers it.
9. Many people recommend third party anti-malware applications, like McAfee, but I consider these packages malware themselves, because they're so annoying. Windows Defender and Apple's MacOS security features should suffice if you do the rest of the actions on this list.

 

[blueone]

I forgot an item for the list above:

10. Don't open any email attachments where you don't trust the sender. Always - always - view the entire sending email address to make sure the sender is really who you think it is. If in doubt, don't click on attachments of any kind.

 

[siliconbruh999]

Also it's time to issue new credit cards if you have been hacked already few times.

 

[Barnsley]

I've had numerous attacks on everything from credit cards to my brokerage account. Fortunately, my brokerage stopped them all and asked if they were my transactions and this is in the six figures. Some credit cards have been hacked before we even took possession of them. I have a friend who uses a program on his Apple phone that requires a confirmation picture of him with every transaction. Also, one of our banks will send a confirmation code to complete a transaction. Is there anything like this for Android? It would be nice if the same could be done with my laptop. Any thoughts or comments appreciated, THANKS.

These are bank settings.

At least in Singapore you set your banking app to inform you of whatever you deem relevant.

Nothing to do with OS on the phone but the banking app you are using.

Singapore banks though can be somewhat difficult apparently when it comes to repayment of fraudulent actions on your account. At least thats what I have read online

 

[Xebec]

More than software is ideal for improved security -- I would also make sure you have a router that is secure and receives updates regularly.

Vendor provided routers, or brands like ASUS / Trendnet prioritize function over security. Go with something like a Ubiquiti Cloud Gateway as a home router (or Dream Router if you want wifi built into the router and not separate). Ubiquiti tends to support their devices for many years, and will patch/update fairly regularly, especially compared to other brands. They're also an American company. You can also enable ad blocking at the router level with Ubiquiti gear which can reduce hacking attempts further.

..

Other than that, great suggestions above. Make sure you're keeping your browser up to date, and are using a 'regular' browser like Edge or Chrome. If you're going to visit 'questionable' (often ad heavy) sites -- run a VM on your system and a browser inside that to isolate those sites and their content from your main PC.

You may also want to reinstall Windows fresh from a USB stick .. painful but worth it if you've had issues in the past to ensure you're starting clean again.

Last but not least - REBOOT regularly. At least once a week - it's a great practice not just for improved performance but security also since it clears processes from memory, ensures the system is 'ready' for new updates, and completes updates that may be in a 'pending' state.

 

[kingmouf]

I've had numerous attacks on everything from credit cards to my brokerage account. Fortunately, my brokerage stopped them all and asked if they were my transactions and this is in the six figures. Some credit cards have been hacked before we even took possession of them. I have a friend who uses a program on his Apple phone that requires a confirmation picture of him with every transaction. Also, one of our banks will send a confirmation code to complete a transaction. Is there anything like this for Android? It would be nice if the same could be done with my laptop. Any thoughts or comments appreciated, THANKS.

Most of the things you mention are related to the security processes of your card provider rather than something that is related to your equipment. I would recommend not to store any sensitive information on your PC or phone and make sure you revise the security settings of your cards and e-banking transactions. If you have an issue with a credit card even before you receive it and activate it, then there sure is a problem with your provider and its security policies.

A good idea, as a lot of people have mentioned, is to start fresh. If this is possible, reinstall windows (or whatever OS you are running) and try some sane and secure practices (most of them are already mentioned). Then go ahead and see what is wrong with your card provider. Since you have so many issues, I would follow the advice already mentioned, to use virtual one-time cards. I use it with Revolut whenever I am interacting with any payment I have not interacted in the past and I am positive that it is secure. In no case allow for storing your credit cards details. You may use PayPal for subscriptions or other types of similar transactions. You can also activate a firewall and check if there are any services that hit an alarm.

 

[blueone]

Most of the things you mention are related to the security processes of your card provider rather than something that is related to your equipment.

Wow. I would not have guessed this. Can you point us to any references on this topic?

 

[semiman]

I've had numerous attacks on everything from credit cards to my brokerage account. Fortunately, my brokerage stopped them all and asked if they were my transactions and this is in the six figures. Some credit cards have been hacked before we even took possession of them. I have a friend who uses a program on his Apple phone that requires a confirmation picture of him with every transaction. Also, one of our banks will send a confirmation code to complete a transaction. Is there anything like this for Android? It would be nice if the same could be done with my laptop. Any thoughts or comments appreciated, THANKS.

I think one of the service you're using(which supported credit card payment) is hacked. Most of service providers tend to encrypt sensitive information so that hacker can't understand what it is, but some idiots store sensitive information with plain text. This breach might happened recently, or a bit long ago. In that case, I strongly suggest disable that credit card. If you need further protection, you can find 2FA(2-factor authentication) things in almost every services you use.

Anyway, if you're still worried about your local PC then just be careful what you browse and what you run(exe files). Modern OS and daily updates, combined with default MS defender are almost invulnerable. There's little(almost NO) chance a hacker break through your computer by exploiting OS and hardware weaknesses. But these systems cannot protect people if they walk into the fire on their own. I've seen some people clicking and browsing malicious websites or executables from email, even if OS and brower constantly begging(red screens, forcing him to turn off some option which is well-hidden) him not to.