With the ever-increasing amount of malware, spyware, and viruses on the Internet, it may only be a matter of time before your computer falls victim to a malware attack. If you’re lucky, it may do little more than annoy you and take a bit of time to remove. If you’re unlucky, you may be targeted by malware that steals passwords, credit card details, and will specifically look for financial information, such as your online banking information and PayPal account login details. If this happens to you, the first thing you will know is when the money has left your account.
How can you prevent this from happening to you?
#1 The first thing to do is the obvious thing to do and install good antivirus software on your computer. All it takes is a few minutes on the unprotected Internet, and if you’re not lucky, your computer will be compromised before you know it.
better practices
Install a virus scanner and make sure it runs a deep or full scan once a week and a quick scan every day. Don’t be tempted to skip a scan because you’re in a hurry.
#2 Save your passwords so you don’t have to write them down. Malicious software, such as a keylogger, will literally copy every keystroke you make, and if you save your passwords and use software to enter them for you, the chances of this happening are reduced.
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There are several types of software like lastpass which is free which will store your passwords for you so you don’t have to remember or write them down and it also encrypts them even if you have a virus on your computer that you are not aware of this can protect your data confidential.
#3 One of the main ways malware enters your computer is through your web browser. It doesn’t matter how good your antivirus is if you have another door through which malware can enter your computer and this door is your browser. Some kind of malicious software will be installed in the background by running scripts or small programs and you won’t even notice it until your PC is infected. Keeping your browser up to date is a must. If you are using Internet Explorer, you can use Windows Update for this.
better practices
Install the Firefox web browser and then install a plugin called noscript. This stops unauthorized scripts from running through your browser and will block them and warn you if one tries to run.
What should you do if you have been infected?
#1 Disconnect your computer from the Internet and run a full virus scan. Malware is getting more sophisticated and will reinstall itself even after removal. Run a full virus scan and remove any malware found.
#2 If you know there is malware on your computer and a virus scan hasn’t found it, download a system scanner that will scan Windows and the registry for malware. The best way to do this if malware prevents you from doing so is to download the installation files to another computer, copy them to a USB memory stick, and then start your computer in safe mode and install from the USB stick.
#3 Run a full system scan and remove malware from your PC.
#4 Once you’ve done this, if you used a USB stick to install the system scanner, you’ll need to run a full scan as well. Do not connect to another computer until you have done so. Some malware will specifically take advantage of this method to remove and install it on every computer it connects to with the USB device long after the original PC has been infected and cleaned. Follow these steps here so you won’t be the one saying I’ve been infected with a virus and keep your computer safe.