I get this question quite often. It is often thought as a computer technician we should be able to tell our customers how to keep from getting infected. So when I am asked this question I give the same answer, You can’t.
Now don’t me wrong, it’s all not. All though there is not a 100% chance of being virus free there are ways to better protect yourself from some of the pretty scary stuff out there. I’ve assembled the following free tips and tools that will help you prevent infections such as viruses and spyware:
Always keep your computer up to date:
This may sound easy enough but you would be surprised at how many systems have an outdated system. Whether it be not having the latest Windows updates or 3rd Party apps like Adobe Reader or Flash player plugin. These are notorious for having exploited flaws or “open doorways” that can potentially let in a lot of bad stuff in your system. First I would suggest running Windows Update on your control panel to ensure your system is up to date. For 3rd party applications, I suggest a program called PatchMyPC. Not only does this program highlight what 3rd party updates needs to be updated it gives you one button to update all programs that need to be updated. You can download it here: Download
Backup your important files:
I can not stress this enough as it is the #1 savior to most users in a time of a computer crisis. You probably have pictures of your children, grandchildren or important events all on your computer. However, imagine one night a power outage causes your computer to shut down and never come back up again. To make things worse you have no backup of any of those photos. Often times I hear clients say “I have a hard drive which I’ll back it up when I can.” Then…they put it off for tomorrow, and then the next day. Until they find themselves a year later to no backup and lost memories. This is an everyday occurrence which often times price cost comes in the way of putting a solution in place. The following article discusses some great free alternatives for your backup needs: http://pcsupport.about.com/od/software-tools/tp/free-online-backup.htm
If you are able to invest a little bit in a solid backup program (we are talking about your irreplaceable memories here) Carbonite has been a leader in online backup space for quite some time. They currently offer a 30-day trial to kick the tires and see if it is a good fit for you. You can signup for your trial by clicking the signup button below: Sign up
Get the 2nd Line of Protection for your PC:
All Windows PC’s now have Windows Defender which is Microsofts built in Antivirus. However, that is not enough. As viruses are now evolving to better hide from antiviruses you will need what we like to call a “2nd line of defense” Which we suggest the program Malwarebytes. It has voted Best Free 2nd Line of defense for PCs on tomsguide.com for 2016. This tool is very effective in removing any nagging bug that may be in your system. You can find the download button below: Download
BONUS:
More and More fraudulent websites are popping up in hopes to infect your PC and steal your data. This is why we love Adblock Plus. It is a pop-up filtering system to get rid of most annoying banner and pop-up ads. To get your free browser plugin you can download it here: Download
With these tools, you are now prepared to not only protect your PC’s health but your data as well. As mentioned before, nothing is 100% and are taking these suggestions at your own risk. Just one thing to keep in mind is constant maintenance is needed to be effective which is a commitment you will need to give.
Should you feel you’d prefer someone else to handle such commitment for your protection you can contact us on how we can take care of the protection for you to prevent infections most users are plagued with our protection plans. Contact Us
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