Joseph Fisher

Mikko Hypponen: Fighting viruses, defending the net

Imagine pulling in to your driveway one evening after a long day at work only to realize that your front door has been kicked in. After the police arrive, you discover that you have been burgled. That new shiny 50” plasma is gone. Your house is a mess. And there’s a tangled jungle of cables where your computer once sat.

It happens every day in America. All of us have door locks, and many of us even have sophisticated alarm systems to deter theft. But even the best door lock and alarm system can be thwarted, and chances are you’re not employing bank vault level security at your front porch. Most of us try to offset the risk of theft by purchasing insurance, renting safety deposit boxes, or even deploying our very own safe. But what steps do we take to protect our computer? (continue reading…)