Acer Aspire Switch 10 User Manual

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computer in various ways, using up resources or clogging up a 
network.
What is spyware?
Spyware refers to generally unwanted programs that are downloaded 
onto your computer while connected to the Internet, often without you 
knowing it. Once it has infected your computer, it can snoop on your 
browsing activity, collect personal information, cause pop-up ads to 
appear, or even change the configuration of your computer. Spyware 
consumes resources on your computer; it can slow down your Internet 
connection or entire computer system, and even cause crashes.
Spyware is sometimes used by unscrupulous companies to monitor 
and track the sites you visit on the Internet so as to determine your 
web-surfing habits and display targeted pop-up ads on your screen. 
However, some kinds of spyware go beyond simple tracking and 
actually monitor keystrokes and capture passwords, posing a serious 
security risk. 
What is malware?
Malicious software, also known as malware, is software designed to 
deliberately harm your computer. For example, viruses, worms, and 
Trojan horses are malicious software. To help protect your computer 
against malware, make sure it is using up-to-date antivirus and anti-
malware software.
What is a personal firewall?
A personal firewall is a software program designed to prevent 
unauthorized access to or from a private network. It acts as a shield to 
protect your Internet connection from unwanted connections, some of 
which may attempt to take control of your computer to install or re-
distribute viruses or malicious programs. Each connection to your 
computer is monitored - programs that attempt to receive information 
without your permission are detected and the firewall will display an 
alert. You can then decide if you will allow the connection, if the 
connection is to a program you are currently using then normally you 
Note
Acer guarantees that your computer was 100% virus free at the time of 
purchase and does not cover damages due to viruses. 
						

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would allow it (i.e. a game connecting to a multi-player server or an 
encyclopaedia making a content update).
How to protect your computer
Cybercrime prevention can be straight-forward - when armed with a 
little technical advice and common sense, many attacks can be 
avoided. In general, online criminals are trying to make their money as 
quickly and easily as possible. The more difficult you make their job, 
the more likely they are to leave you alone and move on to an easier 
target. The tips below provide basic information on how you can 
prevent online fraud.
Keep your computer current with the latest patches and updates
One of the best ways to keep attackers away from your computer is to 
apply patches and other software fixes when they become available. 
By regularly updating your computer, you block attackers from being 
able to take advantage of software flaws (vulnerabilities) that they 
could otherwise use to break into your system. 
While keeping your computer up-to-date will not protect you from all 
attacks, it makes it much more difficult for hackers to gain access to 
your system, blocks many basic and automated attacks completely, 
and might be enough to discourage less-determined attackers, so 
they will give up and look for a more vulnerable computer elsewhere. 
More recent versions of Microsoft Windows and other popular 
software can be configured to download and apply updates 
automatically so that you do not have to remember to check for the 
latest software. Taking advantage of auto-update features in your 
software is a great start toward keeping yourself safe online. 
Protect your computer with security software
Several types of security software are necessary for basic online 
security. Security software essentials include firewall and antivirus 
programs. A firewall is usually your computers first line of defense-it 
controls who and what can communicate with your computer online. 
You could think of a firewall as a sort of policeman that watches all 
the data attempting to flow in and out of your computer on the 
Internet, allowing communications that it knows are safe and blocking 
bad traffic such as attacks from ever reaching your computer.  
						

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The next line of defense many times is your antivirus software, which 
monitors all online activities such as email messages and Web 
browsing and protects an individual from viruses, worms, Trojan horse 
and other types of malicious programs. Your antivirus and 
antispyware software should be configured to update itself, and it 
should do so every time you connect to the Internet. 
Integrated security suites such as McAfee Internet Security Suite, 
which combine firewall, antivirus, antispyware with other features such 
as antispam and parental controls, have become popular as they offer 
all the security software needed for online protection in a single 
package. Many people find using a comprehensive security suite an 
attractive alternative to installing, configuring and updating several 
different types of security software. 
A complete version of McAfee Internet Security Suite is pre-installed 
on your Acer system. It includes a free trial subscription to protection 
updates. Make sure you Activate it!
Choose strong passwords and keep them safe
Passwords are a fact of life on the Internet today; we use them for 
everything from ordering flowers and online banking to logging into 
our favorite airline Web site to see how many miles we have 
accumulated. The following tips can help make your online 
experiences secure: 
• Selecting a password that cannot be easily guessed is the first step 
toward keeping passwords secure and out of the wrong hands. 
Strong passwords have eight characters or more and use a 
combination of letters, numbers and symbols (e.g., # $ % ! ?). Avoid 
using any of the following as your password: your login name, 
anything based on your personal information such as your last 
name, and words that can be found in the dictionary, especially 
password. Try to select especially strong, unique passwords for 
protecting activities like online banking. 
• Keep your passwords in a safe place and try not to use the same 
password for every service you use online. 
• Change passwords on a regular basis, at least every 90 days. This 
can limit the damage caused by someone who has already gained 
access to your account. If you notice something suspicious with one  
						

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of your online accounts, one of the first steps you can take is to 
change your password. 
Protect your personal information
Exercise caution when sharing personal information such as your 
name, home address, phone number, and email address online. To 
take advantage of many online services, you will inevitably have to 
provide personal information in order to handle billing and shipping of 
purchased goods. Since not divulging any personal information is 
rarely possible, the following list contains some advice for how to 
share personal information safely online: 
•Keep an eye out for phony email messages. Things that indicate 
a message may be fraudulent are misspellings, poor grammar, odd 
phrasing, Web site addresses with strange extensions, Web site 
addresses that are entirely numbers where there are normally 
words, and anything else out of the ordinary. Additionally, phishing 
messages will often tell you that you have to act quickly to keep your 
account open, update your security, or urge you to provide 
information immediately or else something bad will happen. Dont 
take the bait. 
•Dont respond to email messages that ask for personal 
information. Legitimate companies will not use email messages to 
ask for your personal information. When in doubt, contact the 
company by phone or by typing in the company Web address into 
your Web browser. Dont click on the links in these messages as 
they make take you to fraudulent, malicious Web sites. 
•Steer clear of fraudulent Web sites used to steal personal 
information. When visiting a Web site, type the address (URL) 
directly into the Web browser rather than following a link within an 
email or instant message. Fraudsters often forge these links to 
make them look convincing.  
A shopping, banking or any other Web site where sensitive 
information should have an S after the letters http (i.e. https://
www.yourbank.com not http://www.yourbank.com). The s stands 
for secure and should appear when you are in an area requesting 
you to login or provide other sensitive data. Another sign that you 
have a secure connection is the small lock icon in the bottom of your 
web browser (usually the right-hand corner).  
						

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•Pay attention to privacy policies on Web sites and in software.
It is important to understand how an organization might collect and 
use your personal information before you share it with them. 
•Guard your email address. Spammers and phishers sometimes 
send millions of messages to email addresses that may or may not 
exist in hopes of finding a potential victim. Responding to these 
messages or even downloading images ensures you will be added 
to their lists for more of the same messages in the future. Also be 
careful when posting your email address online in newsgroups, 
blogs or online communities. 
Online offers that look too good to be true usually are
The old saying theres no such thing as a free lunch still rings true 
today. Supposedly free software such as screen savers or smileys, 
secret investment tricks sure to make you untold fortunes, and 
contests that youve surprisingly won without entering are the enticing 
hooks used by companies to grab your attention. 
While you may not directly pay for the software or service with money, 
the free software or service you asked for may have been bundled 
with advertising software (adware) that tracks your behavior and 
displays unwanted advertisements. You may have to divulge personal 
information or purchase something else in order to claim your 
supposed content winnings. If an offer looks so good its hard to 
believe, ask for someone elses opinion, read the fine print, or even 
better, simply ignore it. 
Review bank and credit card statements regularly 
The impact of identity theft and online crimes can be greatly reduced if 
you can catch it shortly after your data is stolen or when the first use 
of your information is attempted. One of the easiest ways to get the 
tip-off that something has gone wrong is by reviewing the monthly 
statements provided by your bank and credit card companies for 
anything out of the ordinary. 
Additionally, many banks and services use fraud prevention systems 
that call out unusual purchasing behavior (i.e. if you live in Texas and 
all of the sudden start buying refrigerators in Budapest). In order to 
confirm these out of the ordinary purchases, they might call you and 
ask you to confirm them. Dont take these calls lightly; this is your hint  
						

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that something bad may have happened and you should take 
necessary action.
Protect your computer with Windows security tools
Windows provides a variety of protection applications.
Windows Updates
If you have an active Internet connection, Windows can check for 
important updates for your computer and install them automatically. 
These updates include security patches and program updates that 
can improve your computing experience and help protect your 
computer against new viruses and attacks.
How do I know when my computer is at risk?
If the Action Center reports an alert, or if your computer behaves 
erratically, crashes unexpectedly or if some of your programs do not 
work correctly, your computer may be infected by malicious software. 
However, do not blame every computer problem on a virus! If you 
suspect your computer is infected, the first thing to do is update, if you 
have not already done so, and run your antivirus and anti-spyware 
software.