How to Protect Your Computer From Hackers, Spyware and Viruses | Free Antivirus Software

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How to Protect Your Computer From Hackers, Spyware and Viruses | Antivirus Software


This article was inspired by a situation I encountered while visiting one of my cousins ​​in India. Since I'm in IT, she asked me to look at her computer because it worked "funny". The "funny" part was that the computer would restart automatically whenever you tried to install any program on it or download any program from the Internet.


The first thing I noticed was that there was no antivirus program installed on the computer so my first goal was to install an antivirus and check for viruses. But of course, the virus that was already on my computer wouldn't allow me to install or download anything! Smart virus! To make a long story short (and I mean long story), there were 2,256 viruses on the computer and 110 instances of spyware and malware. I've never even heard of such a small number of viruses on my computer before!


virus


Most of the viruses on the computer were hidden in files downloaded from the Internet: songs, videos, and movies. I was amazingly surprised that the computer lasted for two years with so many viruses! So I gave my dear cousin a serious lesson on how to protect her computer from the dangers of the internet and I'm going to take it here for anyone else who might be interested!


This is by no means comprehensive if you have any suggestions please feel free to comment and I will add them!


Steps to Avoid viruses & Malware

And 1. Install Antivirus - This item should not be listed because if you don't have any antivirus software installed, you are asking for trouble! If the reason for not installing an antivirus program is because it is too expensive, this reason might be dropped because there are many free antivirus software programs. Here are some of the more popular ones:


Anti-Virus - Not free, but in the top 5 in terms of detection rate.


In addition to your antivirus, you should install one and the best anti-malware program is Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free. It was tested in 2014 and did the best work out of 10 products, many of which were not free.


2. Update all software - It is not sufficient to install the antivirus by itself. There are hundreds of new threats that are found daily and antivirus software releases updates regularly to combat these new threats. Make sure to set your antivirus to update automatically so that you don't have to rely on your memory to do so. Also, this applies to all programs on your computer. The most important program to keep up with your Windows operating system. It is necessary to turn on Automatic Updates and set it to automatically download and install updates.


3. Install trusted software only - If you are not sure what a portion of the program does by its name, do not install it. Also, don't install anything you didn't intend to install in the first place. Sometimes, programs will ask you to install other software while installing the original app. Be careful of that as it is usually spyware. If you install software from big-name sites like Microsoft or Adobe, you are good. For anything else, you must first get it scanned. 

virustotal


4. Avoid P2P File Sharing Software - If used with extreme caution, P2P is quite useful for movies, songs, and programs, but if you are not very tech-savvy, you may end up downloading a song with a keystroke recorder attached to it that will send any Something that you write to some other computer over the Internet. It's nearly impossible to know this is happening unless your antivirus or anti-spyware catches up in a scan. If you don't know what you're doing, don't try to run a torrent.


5. Delete unknown emails - if you receive emails from random people, don't bother to open the email, just delete it. If you have any doubts after reading the name and topic, it probably isn't someone you know. Never download or open attachments unless you are sure someone you know is around. Quickly give the person a call and ask if you are not sure. Most large companies that create online accounts will not send you attachments unless you specifically request them through their website. Also, be wary of any emails from sites pretending to be banks, auctions, etc. It asks you to verify bank account information or address information. There is no bank at all.


Hackers also try to penetrate your feelings. If something sounds too good to be true, meaning you've made some money or free vacation, it probably is. Second, if you get an email from the IRS, the police, a lawyer, or anyone else trying to scare you, don't panic and start giving the information. These are all usually scams because any official agency sends people emails about serious issues.


sketchy emails


6. Don't click on ads - Avoid clicking on ads if you can. Especially those ads where something flies up, and if you shoot the duck, you win some trophies! Ads are getting more and more complex in that they try to make the ad interactive so you can try to play it like a game.


7. Run virus scan regularly - If you are not in the mood to scan daily, run a scan at least once a week. In fact, you can set up a schedule for the computer in the antivirus program to run a scan late at night or any time you are not using the computer, that way you will not bother with a slow computer.


8. Be careful what you attach to your computer - This is a more common way to transfer viruses than you might think. Everyone now has a USB flash stick to carry on their key chains, and it's ready to snap onto any computer. But who knows what viruses are on your friends' computers and what was accidentally transferred to their USB device. Lots of virus programs will launch automatically when you put a USB stick in the computer, so you don't even need to open or download any of the infected files.


9. Avoid suspicious websites - If you need to see porn, make sure you do it in a virtual environment. You will definitely get a virus or spyware if you browse porn sites on your computer. Virtualization basically allows you to run programs like Internet Explorer in a virtual environment that does not affect your current operating system. If you want to know more, search for "Virtual PC" or "VMware" in Google. Otherwise, simply avoid going to shady websites! Also, see my articles on Hyper-V and VMware Fusion.


10. Turn on or install a firewall - If you are using Windows or Mac, make sure the firewall is on. The firewall prevents hackers from accessing your computer by limiting the number of ports open to the public. Also, when purchasing a wireless router, make sure you have a built-in firewall. Having a software and hardware firewall is better than just having one or the other.


windows firewall


11. Secure the wireless network - Most wireless routers are set to no security when installed. Ensure that you are logged into the router and at least set the basic security that requires a password. There are stronger encryption options, but if you don't understand them, simply set a password on the router and the wireless network, otherwise, anyone can connect to your home network and change all settings.


12. Use a strong password to log in - This means you must already have a password to log in to your computer. Having no password at all is not a good idea. Create a password for all user accounts and make sure it is complex. Complex means it must contain numbers, uppercase and lowercase letters, and symbols. This makes it more difficult for a hacker to access your computer.


13. Use Two Factor Authentication - Many online services allow you to enable two-factor authentication, which means that you will need to type a code in addition to your password when logging in. This makes your account more secure, although it does add a bit of inconvenience. It should be enabled on all major services like Facebook, Google, Apple, Microsoft, etc. See my article on setting up two-factor authentication and configuring it correctly.


14. Use encryption when possible - even if someone can steal your data or monitor your internet connection, encryption can help prevent the hacker from reading any of that information. You can encrypt your Windows or OS X hard drive, encrypt your USB flash drive, and even encrypt all your network traffic using a VPN.


If you follow all the steps above, you can rest assured that you can avoid 99% of the internet threats out there. It's really a matter of being disciplined and carefully more than being completely carefree when using your computer. Enjoy!


Explain the protection of your device from the owner of the network and the external intrusions that happen through the IP and port


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