With all the concern about human virus infection, don’t forget about your computer. If you’ve been spending more time on the Internet and that means more time your computer could be exposed to malware!
1.) Make sure you use only legitimate software: If that bundle of software looks ridiculously cheap, it may be bootleg software that will leave you open to attack. That’s because legitimate software companies routinely update their software to guard against rapidly evolving viruses and malware. If you remember to update your software regularly (better still, if you set your software to update automatically), you’ll be better protected.
2.) Don’t click on links sent through social media or in email from people you don’t know: Facebook is particularly prone to having private accounts hacked. Even if you think you know the person who sent you that “video” or link in a Personal Message (PM), don’t click it!
3.) When your browser is redirected to another website, get the heck out of there: When a new website pops up and you didn’t do anything to get there, that’s a bad sign. Close your browser immediately and then reopen. Also, don’t click on anything while you’re on that strange website.
4.) Use anti-virus/anti-malware software and keep it updated: As with your other software, most of the major anti-virus software gives you the option to get updates installed automatically. We recommend taking that option.
5.) Back-up your important files on a regular basis: Speaking from first-hand experience, any files you can’t afford to lose should be duplicated on at least one other hard drive. Sometimes those drives simply fail because of age, so this is a habit you need to develop immediately!
