Many consumers today are fully aware of computer viruses, though not many may realize exactly what they can do and how dangerous they can be. Additionally, while viruses are common, not many consumers know the difference between viruses and malware, and how destructive malware can really cause stress and headaches by deleting files and even causing your PC to become incapacitated, making it an expensive and overly large paperweight.
Malware has been around quite a long time, and while not all of it is as destructive as what was just described above, you really don't want any of it on your PC. Therefore, anti malware software is essential, as well as being smart when using your computer or mobile devices so as to ensure that hackers and others can't gain access to your PC via loopholes, security flaws, or files you have downloaded without realizing they contained viruses and malware. Hackers often rely on you being unaware that you have actually downloaded a virus or been infected by malware, and some code is designed to work behind the scenes and evade detection, until suddenly your PC suddenly stops working as well as it should or you can't find a particular file, without realizing it was due to malware that you downloaded accidentally some time ago.
Your first order of business with any PC, whether personal or in the office, is to do two things—make sure your firewall is active, and install reliable antivirus software. Your firewall works to prevent unauthorized code from entering or leaving your PC, which is a good defense against hackers. Your antivirus software should be powerful enough to detect and prevent malware as well. You might want to invest in anti malware software that is cloud based. The reason for this is because many anti-virus applications require you to manually download and install updates as they are released. During the interim, hackers are writing new viruses and malware that can easily take advantage of breaches in older applications and infect your computer.
Cloud based anti malware software updates automatically without the need for you to be there, ensuring that it is always up to date and able to protect against any new threats that have been developed. Additionally, cloud based anti-malware software like Avg, Immunet, Avast can protect your files and data stored on the cloud as well, which is especially important as so many hackers today are trying to take advantage of security breaches in the Cloud as well.
After you have selected a good application to protect you against viruses and malware, the next step is to always utilize strong, unhackable passwords for any accounts you may have. It is important to use different passwords for each account, because if one is ever discovered by a hacker, they can use it to attempt to get into other accounts of yours as well, and if you haven't used different passwords, they can easily gain access to bank accounts, credit card accounts, and much more.
If you work in an office or run a business, obviously security is also a major concern. Staff should be trained properly so as not to leave PCs or mobile devices unattended, and to also keep passwords secure and unavailable to those without proper authorization. They should also be instructed not to download any files that they aren’t sure of, or to visit sites for personal use using company computers.
These rules apply to everyone in the company, including other managers and supervisors. They can be just as guilty as being unsafe, as evidenced by many high level employees in corporations who left mobile devices and laptops unattended, resulting in major breaches of security.
Lastly, always keep your operating software up to date, as updates often include new security updates as well that are designed to further prevent older and newer viruses and malware from taking advantage of flaws in older versions of the software. In conclusion, keep your firewall up to date and actively on.
If you don't have an active IT technician or staff in your office, then you might consider finding a company that offers IT and security services, so that would be one less thing you need to worry about regarding your business. Remember, security is of the utmost importance, for both your personal computers and mobile devices, and your office computers and networks. Follow the above tips and methods, and you will greatly reduce your chances of your data being affected by malware and viruses.
