The real danger of viruses and other malware is that they can attack you personally. The most common type of trojan is keyloggers. These are programs that simply relay everything you do or type to another person. This includes personal information such as credit card numbers and passwords. Internet threats are numerous. Here are 5 tips to keep yourself and your computer protected.
1. Keep everything up to date. Update your browser, Windows update and your anti-virus software as frequently as possible. New viruses are being developed daily and you may be the unfortunate victim of a new scam. By keeping your security up to date, you'll have done your best to protect yourself against the latest threats. Your security software becomes less and less effective as long as it remains outdated.
2. Your anti-virus should be on and up to date around the clock. The hackers responsible for many of the web's security threats use clever methods to infect your system. You'll be surprised to see that just by going to certain websites, your anti-virus will pop up warning you about trojans trying to install themselves on your computer. If your anti-virus is stopping you from being able to do something you want to do (torrenting, hosting game servers...) consider whether it is wise to pursue that activity.
3. Rogue viruses are responsible for half the virus removal jobs we perform. These are programs that "speed up your computer" or "clean your registry." However, you'll pay for the program and use it only to find out that:
a. Your problem is still there.
b. You have 700+ problems that can be fixed if you upgrade your subscription.
These websites look very legitimate. The programs look like honest programs. Some of them mimic the look of Windows Security screens and trick you into thinking that windows is issuing these warnings. Your best bet against this problem is to do proper research before using or purchasing a program or to call your neighborhood professional and get their opinion.
4. Trust your anti-virus, not your spam filter. When it comes to e-mail, make sure you scan every attachment you receive before opening it. Just because it was sent from your best friend or a close relative does not mean that it is safe. Remember that most infections are invisible and dangerous. It is very easy for malware to be installed quickly one day and then report everything you do to its owner. That includes passwords and credit card numbers!
5. Finally, when in doubt, don't. Remember that the people developing malware are relatively advanced computer users. They know that the average user relies on their own sense of familiarity to gauge what is right or wrong. Don't open files to discover what they are or leave programs installed on your computer that you are not familiar with. When a screen pops up suggesting that you visit a website or pay a fee to have some new security feature, ignore it and close the window. If you have any doubts, contact your trusted computer repair shop.
Written by Karim Salmi.
Computer Repair Specialist with Vitalitech LLC in Maryland.
Disclaimer: All information on this site is provided for informational purposes only! By no means is any
information presented herein intended to substitute for the advice provided to you by any health care or other professional
or organization.
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