Discover easy ways to protect yourself from computer hacking
Installing antivirus software may sound like an obvious first step to protect against malware, but not everyone bothers to do it. With so many options now available, though, there really is no excuse. Microsoft offers its own free protection in the form of the Windows Defender Security Centre - read more about it here. Check out the box below to find out more. What is a computer virus? These will be downloaded and installed automatically by Windows Update, but only if this feature is properly configured.
Windows Update cannot be switched off by default in Windows 10, you should be receving updates already. However, if you'd like to check for a new update, search Windows Update from the Start Menu and click Check for updates. Three green tick marks mean the firewall is working normally - if not, select each one to turn the firewall on. Web browsers are vital applications, but just like other software, they can contain bugs. Hackers are quick to capitalise on these and create bogus or infect genuine web sites with data designed to exploit them.
Once a web browser has been compromised in this way, a hacker can monitor everything you type, including passwords to credit card numbers.
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It is very important that your computer has antivirus software running on your machine. By having an antivirus program running, files and emails will be scanned as you use them, download them, or open them. If a virus is found in one of the items you are about to use, the antivirus program will stop you from being able to run that program and infect yourself. Is it also important to note that there is no point in running an antivirus program if you do not make sure it has all the latest updates available to it.
If you do not update the software, it will not know about any new viruses, trojans, worms, etc that have been released into the wild since you installed the program. If a new infection appears in your computer, the outdated antivirus program will not know that it is bad, and not alert you when you run it and your computer becomes infected. It is imperative that you update your Antivirus software at least once a week Even more if you wish so that you are protected from all the latest threats.
It is also suggested that you install a free anti-malware scanner in addition to your normal anti-virus program. These free anti-malware scanners do not offer real-time protection unless you upgrade to the commercial version, but offer excellent detections when scanning with them periodically. Tutorials on how to use these programs are listed below:.
How to use Emsisoft Anti-Malware to scan and clean malware from your computer. How to use Malwarebytes Anti-Malware to scan and remove malware from your computer. The following link has a list of some online and stand-alone antivirus programs: The importance of using a Firewall on your computer or on your network cannot be stressed enough. Just because you have all the latest security updates, you are still susceptible to unreported, unpatched, or unknown vulnerabilities that a hacker may know about.
Sometimes hackers discover new security holes in a software or operating system long before the software company does and many people get hacked before a security patch is released. By using a firewall the majority of these security holes will not be accessible as the firewall will block the attempt. For a tutorial on Firewall's and a listing of some available ones, please visit the following link: Understanding and Using Firewalls.
Backing up your data is not necessarily a way of keeping your computer safe, but it is a way of keeping your data safe. As you use your computer there may come a time that you cannot find a document or your hard drive fails. Having a regular backup of your data available saves you from the anguish of losing those hours of work or precious baby photos.
Both Windows and MacOS have free built in backup software so please be sure to use them to protect your data. If you wish to use a third-party program, we have listed two tutorials below that utilize free backup programs. It is important to enable file extensions so you can see the complete file name.
A file extension, or file name extension, is the letters immediately shown after the last period in a file name. Many viruses that are sent via email as attachments contain two periods. Since Windows is by default configured to not display extensions, Windows will strip off the. To you this looks like harmless image file. Once you click on it, though, instead of an image opening, it actually runs the virus and you become infected.
Simple and easy ways to keep your computer safe and secure on the Internet
Though a Mac hides file extensions by default as well, this is less of a problem on that operating system. Don't open an attachment from someone you do not know. If someone you do not know sends you something, just delete it. If you receive an attachment from someone you know well, then you should still never open attachments that end with the following extensions: For more information about file extensions, please see step 3.
Attachments are a common way that computer infections spread from computer to computer. As described in the previous tip, malware writers exploit default settings on operating systems to make attachments harmless looking so that you will then open them.
If you really want to see the file, first scan it by saving it to a folder on your drive and then scanning it using a site like Virustotal. You can also email the person directly and ask if they actually sent you that file. A common online scam are emails from strangers that state that you won a contest or that they need help transferring money or receiving an inheritance. These are all scams where they are trying to get your personal information in order to perform identify theft or want to use you as part of a money laundering scheme.
When you receive these emails just delete them. Phone support scams are becoming more common and involve receiving a phone call from someone pretending to be from Google, Microsoft, or another large company. They state that they have detected you are having computer problems and are offering free remote diagnostics to see what is wrong. After they take control of your computer and pretend to look at various things, they state that your computer has a lot of problems and then try to sell you a support contact or software.
If you do receive a call like this say "No thanks" and hang up. Just like phone support scams, online support scams are common as well.
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These scams come in the form of online advertisements that display misleading messages stating that your computer is having an issue. Just like the phone support scams, these are just advertisements from people who are trying to sell you software or services. Just ignore any advertisements and messages you see like this. When browsing the web, it is not uncommon to be shown an advertisement that pretends to be an online anti-virus program. These advertisements will pretend to scan your computer and then state you are infected.
It will then prompt you to install a piece of software. Fake Online Scanners Click on each image to enlarge. If you see these types of advertisements, just close your browser to close the message. If the browser refuses to close, then you can use these guides to help you close the programs:. How to force quit a program on a Mac How to close a program in Windows. We've all got our favorite places to go bargain-hunting for flights online, but these 3 websites should definitely be some of yours.
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Simple and easy ways to keep your computer safe and secure on the Internet
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To discover that your private conversations, pictures or texts have been splattered across the internet for all to see is not only a form of invasion of privacy, but it can also be damaging to your personal life and livelihood. So, how can you protect yourself from such hackers? Get informed and read through the information below: Adopt a proactive protection mindset: Start by accepting that sometimes there are people in your life who might want to hack into your personal details for malicious reasons.
Failed relationships, people who may not like something you have said and friends who have without reason turned unfriendly may all have something to gain from your personal phone or computer. Keep such matters from happening by: People who hack into your cell phone do so for specific or confidential information. Such as information received from a family member, friend or acquaintance. Financial information should also be kept secure, as it can be stolen, or transferred from your account to another one by SMS. Refrain also from doing so with someone you trust deeply.
Guide: How to Prevent Your Cell Phone from Being Hacked
When out in public, shield the input of your passwords. May also interest you: Best Apps of ! Save a backup copy of important correspondence: Train yourself to stop using your phone for confidential information of any sort and any confidential information you receive, delete it immediately after reading it, or back it up elsewhere. Password protect your voicemail: Password protecting your voicemail will ensure that ill-willed predators don't remove any private messages.
Seven easy tips to protect your PC from hackers and malware
Many phones come with a voicemail password already set by default. However it tends to be very easy to guess. If yours has this feature change it immediately to a password known only to you. Choose a password that is hard to guess: Refrain from using passwords like birthdays, anniversaries or consecutive number sequences. They tend to be the most obvious and are likely to be the first that hackers will try. Opt for a complex sequence that involves an uppercase letter, number and symbol. The more complex you make the sequence, the more secure your password.
Don't use the same password for all your phone accounts: Protect your cellphone by using a different password for each account accessed by phone. Update your phone's passwords often: Change your passwords often in order to keep your phone secure. While you need not update them daily, figure out when would be a good time to swap passwords and create something new.
Create a password update schedule: