Basic Computer Security: How to Protect Yourself from Viruses, Hackers, and Thieves

When you get down to the kernel details, it can be - but the most important things are actually pretty simple. Here are the basic and important things that you must do

Enable automatic updates

Use anti-virus and anti-malware software

Make better passwords, get them turned on

Never leave your phone or computer unattended

Learn about safe clickable links in emails

Be careful about the programs you download and run (stop software piracy)

Do not trust your push notifications

When you get down to the kernel details, it can be - but the most important things are actually pretty simple. Here are the basic and important things you must do to make yourself safer online.

Enable automatic updates

Probably all the software we use every day is riddled with security issues. These security issues are constantly being found - whether we're talking about Windows, Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Adobe Flash plug-in, Adobe's PDF Reader, or Microsoft Office - and the list goes on and on.

These days, a lot of operating systems and software come with automatic updates to fill these vulnerabilities. You no longer need to click a button or download a file to update your software; It will update itself in the background without any interference from you.

Maybe you don't like restarting Windows after installing an update, or maybe you don't like the change. But from a security standpoint, automatic updates should always be left on.

If you previously turned off automatic updates for any of your programs, turn it on now, then come back to this. good job.

Updating your computer is the first way to keep it safe from online threats. Microsoft provides updates for Windows and associated Microsoft products (Defender, Office) on the second Tuesday of every month. Apple doesn't have an organized schedule, but it also offers updates regularly. Not only do these updates fix bugs, but they also correct vulnerabilities. So the only way to protect yourself from the latest vulnerabilities is to update. Malicious attackers are always looking for unprecedented systems that they can attack, and automatic updates keep you away from the list of pending fruits.

Use anti-virus and anti-malware software

It looks like an article will be published every two years saying that one of the antivirus software is the best ever. Three others will follow, saying that three others have outdone the first. Moreover, some security experts will write an article stating that antivirus software is no longer relevant and that you are stupid if you use it.

Let's put things into perspective: You should be running an antivirus program, even if you are keen on the web. Anyone? It's up to you - though when it comes to free, simplicity, and quality, there's nothing wrong with Windows Defender. It's built into Windows, updated automatically using the Windows Update utility, has no noticeable impact on performance, and it's free. To be effective, an antivirus app must integrate with the operating system at a very deep level. Who is better to find out about the internal parts of Windows from the people who built it? Also, it will not try to sell you other products or introduce other features that you do not need, such as some antivirus software.

If you spend time in the shady corners of the internet, you might want something a little more powerful, like Avira or Kaspersky, but for most home users, Windows Defender should be fine.

However, in addition to antivirus software, we also recommend using Malwarebytes along with your antivirus software. Just as your belt can use a good pair of bras to give it a little help, apps like Malwarebytes can provide additional protection against malware that traditional antivirus products might not identify. Malware like browser redirect and ad injector behave just like some well-known legitimate web filters. They aren't technically viruses, but you definitely don't want them. Anti-malware apps can help you with that. Malwarebytes costs $ 40 annually, but you can get some of its features for free.

With this one punch combo, you should be safe from a lot of threats out there.

Make better passwords, get them turned on

You probably know that passwords are important, but you probably don't know how important they are - and how terrible most people's passwords really are.

Here's the thing: we're no longer in the old days of the internet, where you can just use the same password everywhere and call every day. Services are compromised all the time, and if you use the same password everywhere, you give someone access to it all from your accounts when one of the services leaks information. You need to use long passwords and need to use different passwords for every site and service.

To do that, I recommend everyone to use a password manager like LastPass. It will automatically generate passwords for you, keep them securely in one central place, and automatically insert them for you while you browse.

You should also have a password on your computer and a passcode on your phone as well. I know, I know, it's uncomfortable. But while it may take a few seconds more than just pressing a single button, it is an easy and important way to keep your information safe. Having a password on your computer and phone will prevent random people from picking up and using your device.

Think about all the information on your cell phone. Now think of all the websites that you are logged into on your computer. Do you want a stranger with all this access? Do you know how easy it is to lose your phone or laptop? You need to get a password on your computer and phone. No exceptions.

but that is not all. A good password is a good lock on the door, but locks can be chosen. Adding encryption turns that door into a vault. If you encrypt your computer or phone, you are preventing thieves from accessing your data by other, more advanced means. We recommend using BitLocker on Windows if you have Windows Pro or Enterprise, or VeraCrypt if you have Windows Home. Mac users must turn on FileVault. If you are running Windows Home, something like Veracrypt is a good option for you. iPhones and Android phones are usually encrypted by default these days, but you can double-check the settings to make sure.

Never leave your phone or computer unattended

This may sound obvious, but it is worth saying: Never, never, never leave your computer or phone unattended in public places. On the coffee table in your house? Certainly. At your table at Starbucks? Not possible. Doing so asks to be stolen.

If your device is stolen, the best-case scenario is that you lose your expensive device. But if you leave something unattended and don't follow all of the advice above, the worst-case scenario is for someone to have your expensive gadget and all of your personal information. All it takes is a kid with a little more knowledge of a basic computer to get all of your data, and if your computer is in their hands, it will be a lot easier (if you don't use encryption, see above).

Learn about safe clickable links in emails

You hear it all the time: Don't open emails from people you don't know, and don't click on links in emails you don't trust. But this is not enough. Often, it can come from friends infected with harmful or links from email messages that look legitimate, but in fact, fakes. This is known as phishing.

If you want to be really safe, you can never click on links in emails. But this is not realistic or appropriate, although we recommend that you do not click on email links to sensitive sites such as your bank's website. You only need to head to the website of your bank as normal. As for other links in emails, the middle option is knowing how to verify a link before clicking on it - yes, even links from your friends.

First, check if this link goes where it says. If you hover your pointer over the link, the destination should pop up at the bottom of the browser window. If not, right-click on the link and select 'Copy Link Address. You can then paste this into a safe location (like a Notepad document) and inspect it.

If the link says "ebay.com", but the real destination says "ebay.clickme.com", then there's something fishy, ​​and you shouldn't click on it. Remember, just because it contains the word "eBay" doesn't mean it will go to eBay either - it has to be before the ".com" to be truly legitimate.

Be careful about the programs you download and run (stop software piracy)

This advice might seem obvious, too - you hear it all the time and probably think you are following it. But it seems that a lot of the malware that Windows users encounter is caused by accidentally downloading and installing bad software.

So always be careful about what programs you download and run. Download and run only programs that are known and trustworthy or recommended by trustworthy sites. Make sure you always have the software from its official website - if you want to download VLC, download it from the official VLC website. Do not click on the "Download VLC" banner on another website and download it from another person who may have gathered malware or adware with it. Even if you use a search engine, make sure it leads you to the real site.

And when downloading the program, be sure to pay attention to the ad banners disguised as "download" links that will take you elsewhere and try to trick you into downloading potentially harmful programs. And deselect any bundled software that came with software - even legitimate software.

Be aware that there are many different types of "software" - for example,.SCR screen savers are basically just programs and can contain malware. We have a list of over 50 different types of file extensions that are potentially dangerous on Windows.

Finally, this should go without saying but stop software piracy. When you get pirated or cracked software from peer-to-peer networks or suspicious websites, you take a big risk. By running the .exe file. From these sites, you can trust that the distributor will not do anything malicious. Worse yet, cracks that would need to be run to get such programs to function properly are done by software cracking kits. You can't tell if it contained malware or not.

Do not trust your push notifications

Likewise, never download or install anything you did not search for. If a website tells you that Flash is out of date, Chrome needs an update, or a plug-in needs to be added, pump the brakes. This is a common trick to get you to prove something to the attacker. If you thought the popup might be legitimate, you still don't want to click on it.

Let's use flash as an example. A site might give you a warning that you need the latest version to play this cat video. Instead of clicking the link (or button) to update, search for "adobe flash" and get the update from the official Adobe site - not the popup from catvideos.com.

This also applies to Technical Support. Don't believe any site that says it has detected a virus on your system (or any calls from Microsoft). If a pop-up says that you have a virus on your computer, do not click on it. Instead, go to the Start menu, open the antivirus program of your choice, and run a scan from there instead.

None of these ideas are particularly high-tech. They are not advanced. They don't take complex programs or a computer science degree to implement them. Simple ways to discipline your behavior can greatly improve your security - and everyone can (and should) use them.