Harmful software and malicious programs stalk our computers constantly. The Internet is crawling with malware and viruses. It is very important to know how to defend our computers from malicious software and how to act in case of infection. Your personal information should stay that way – personal. Keep reading to understand the few basic steps you need to do to protect your sensitive information.
Use security software and understand how it works
Digital threats roam the internet constantly, trying to gain access to our computers. Think of security software as guards on the entrance to an important building, keeping all possible threats out. Your operating system should include adequate security software, but you can install you own if you desire. Essential components of every security program are the firewall and the protection against viruses and malware. Make sure we use legitimate software and do not succumb to buy software which appears as a pop-up or as spam.
Update regularly
Viruses and malware grow and evolve on a daily basis. Updating your security software is a prerequisite, so make sure that you set automatic updating. This will keep your software up to speed with current anti-virus events.
Pay attention to “https” encrypted website
Whether you’re shopping or banking online, it is imperative that you do it using websites with encryption methods. You will recognize them because they have the “https” at the beginning of the address, where the “s” stands for secure. Furthermore, make sure that the encryption applies to all subsequent pages, not only the initial, sign-on page.
Apply strong passwords
This cannot be emphasized too many times. As most serious websites will instruct, use a combination of letters, numbers and special characters. Do not use the obvious dates or names, like birthdays or the names of your children or relatives. Try to set up a different password for every account you use. There are many kinds of practical programs to manage your passwords, use them. Finally, do not share your passwords, who know where they might end up.
