Safety For Your Home Computer
You’d be hard pushed to find a person who doesn’t have a home computer, and in fact, most people will now do some form of work on their computer at home too. We do online shopping, banking, and general browsing and of course, download different software all the time.
But as with everything in life, there are some things that you need to be aware of. Malware, virus, and even keylogging software can be snuck into your computer via rogue links and downloads. So here are some simple ways that you can help protect your home computer.
Photo by Jesus Kiteque on Unsplash
Updates
If you have been putting those updates off for a while, you should make time for them now. The small changes and patches will fix any issues in the app itself, but also plug any whole that the makers have seen. Outdated software is one of the ways that attackers will enter your computer. The same can be said for outdated or unused plugins on your Wordpress site. Update what you use, delete what you don’t.
Browsing
We all have a browser that we prefer to use, and the most common ones:
- Chrome
- Firefox
- Safari
Are very safe. However, from time to time, we all want to try something new. Browsers that have in-built security features will help reduce your chance of malware and viruses appearing on your computer. Secure browsing is not only essential for your home computer but should be implemented across all business networks too. After all, think about the last few days of computer use, how much access could someone have to your personal information right now?
The Unknown
Unfortunately for us, we are inquisitive creatures. So when we see a link sent to us in an email, or even on our mobile phone – more often than not we want to click it. Although the last 10 years there has been a big push on making people aware of phishing scams and the message is clear – if it isn’t from a trusted source don’t click it. And on from that, if you are questioning the authenticity – check the email address of the person and also give them a call and check.
Anti-Virus
It would be surprising if you didn’t have anti-virus software installed, it would be less surprising if you weren’t using it properly. It is designed to target threats that are on your computer or warn you against potential ones. Usually, they will come with a firewall. It is prudent to go into the settings and make sure that you are using the anti-virus options to their full ability.
Sometimes you might find a safe website blocked, or pop-ups from a site you need to use are blocked. Rather than get frustrated and turn it all off, spend the time to understand how it works, and when the best time for you to set the scans.
Back-Up
And finally, just in case anything does manage to get into your computer, make sure you have a back-up, and the code for all of your software activation and OS. You might choose an HDD, or cloud storage whatever you do – do something.
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