 The internet has become a part of everyday life for most people and for virtually all businesses, becoming a thriving market place of activity for everything from sales and marketing to discussions of the latest news and events. Some claim that it is even the last place on earth where there is true freedom of speech. However with the vast explosion that the internet has undergone in recent years some out there seek to use its power to reach millions with malicious intent. Virus's, Spyware and other such MALware ( mal - malicious ) are released on a daily basis. The good news is that there are ways in which you can limit the amount of damage these kind of threats can achieve, we have listed below a few simple steps you can take to help protect your PC, and others, as well as a brief definition of what these threats do. |
 Use updated Anti-Virus protection
Seems obvious enough but many people don't. There are many products available to the home user, the most popular are from McAfee and Symantec. They are by no means the best! Buying the Anti Virus is however just the start, it needs to be regularly updated (this often happens automatically) and kept up to date with subscriptions. Keep your operating system updated One of the simplest and most affective ways to help protect your system is to keep your operating system updated. Microsoft releases patches for its operating systems on a regular basis and it is vital that you check for updates to help keep your system healthy, they even have an option to download these updates automatically for you. You should note however that Microsoft now only offer support and updates for the XP, 2000, and NT operating systems. Run anti Spyware programs Spyware is a relatively new threat, but a serious one, and again there are a number of options to the home users to help counteract this threat. Two popular anti spyware tools are Spybot Search & Destroy , and Adaware , there is also a beta version from Microsoft which is currently free. Spybot will attempt to keep spyware off your PC, and again the more up to date the definitions are the better job it can do. Run regular scans using these programs to help reduce the risk of spyware. Don't download files you're unsure of  Again commonsense really, you wouldn't invite a total stranger into your house so why do it with your computer. Some files will contain hidden "extras" which you won't realise are there until they're flashing "pop ups" at you constantly. Most infections come from visiting sites that are of a dubious nature, these can plant files on your machine. Scan portable disks Scan any disks that are used in other machines, virus can be spread via these disks as well as by the internet! Don't open unusual emails Many email providers will use anti spam and virus filters to remove any potential viruses, if any of your emails are marked as spam don't open them unless you know they are safe. Don't open any emails with funny looking subjects these are often spam and could be much worse. Phishing This is less of a program virus and is more reliant on human ignorance. Hackers send emails that look like they come from a bank or other institute and request that you click on a link and enter your personal details. The user is directed to a site that looks like the banks site but when details are entered they are stored in the hackers database which are then used to get into the users account. Further Help If you have an further questions or would like us to look at your computer then please Contact Us or call us on (028) 4062.9350 and we will be happy to help. |
