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Virus by Nick Youngson CC BY-SA 3.0 Pix4free

Computer viruses can’t only make your laptop or smartphone sluggish but open it for more vulnerable attacks from hacking. This hacking can mean stealing your confidential and valuable data. To prevent such from happening, follow these tips:

Use basic computer and internet rules

• Don’t open suspicious or click on links from unknown senders – Daily you’ll likely receive spam made of text or email messages. Although most emails such as Gmail have built-in software that filters these messages, some spam can still go through these safeguards.

• Avoid downloading files from untrusted sources – If you’re not sure of the source of a program or software such as those with exe or executable extensions, avoid downloading them.

• Use strong passwords - Avoid using easy-to-guess passwords such as a combo of names and predictable numbers. If possible, combine alphanumeric characters, upper case, lower case and special characters.

• Educate your colleagues – If your work colleagues or other family members use your computer, share your knowledge on how to prevent viruses by:

• - Encouraging others to report unusual pc behaviour
  - Building awareness of malware attacks
  - Sharing updates on cybersecurity best practices and trends
  - Teaching users how to recognize legit sites and what to do if they stumble on suspicious ones.

Protect your computer

• Back up your files – Back up your files by investing in an SSD drive or USB drive. You can also save your files with cloud storage services such as Microsoft, Google and DropBox. In case of hardware and software trouble, you can easily retrieve your files and avoid the headache of going to square one.

• Consider cyber insurance - Some companies have invested in cyber insurance which covers first-party entities against cyberattacks.

• Use reliable anti-virus software – Not all anti-virus software is created equal. Some can only detect worms and trojans while others can prevent a broad range spectrum of viruses. Researching anti-virus blogs and sites is your key. Check these sites:

• -Best anti-virus 2022
  - PC mag – the best antivirus protection
  - Security.org

• Avoid using two or more anti-virus software - Some people think that using two or more pc virus-busting programs is better than just one.  On the contrary, running two or more antivirus software can cause battery drains, freezes, errors and Operating system problems. Having two is just the same as having none.

• Enable firewalls - Firewalls are built-in programs that check data exchange between a device and server. Enable them as your first line of defence.

• Update your software - Whether it’s an operating system or a security patch, it’s crucial to update these programs. In smartphones, they appear as updates on your settings notifications. In windows, a prompt menu will prompt; you to schedule and update programs.

• Know the signs of an attack - Knowing the signs is like knowing the symptoms in humans.

• - Browser lags
  - Duplicated folders
  - Error messages
  - Frequent errors or crashes
  - High network activity
  - Hijacked emails
  - Missing files
  - Overworked drive
  - Slow performance

Tags: computer, computervirus, software, virus