As much as we at CLV Group love and appreciate the Internet, it’s important to remember that it’s also filled with hackers and scammers that are constantly trying to steal your personal information and money. That’s why you need to take the necessary steps to protect yourself from online viruses. Here we’ll show you the best 6 things you can do to protect your accounts and to avoid being the target of an online scam — we want all our wonderful CLV Group to be browsing safely!
Don’t Open Suspicious Emails
Email is a common vehicle for spreading computer viruses. Often, a virus will be transmitted in the form of an attached document or program. Then, once you open or copy this file, your computer becomes infected. Some viruses are also cleverly-disguised and will appear to come from a friend or family member’s account. So never open or save an email attachment from a source that you don’t know, and always use your better judgement when opening an attachment from someone you do.
Install an Antivirus and Firewall
Installing security software that includes both antivirus and firewall protection is the best way to safeguard your computer from unauthorized software such as viruses and trojans. When activated, the security software will detect any threats and protect your personal files and information. Before purchasing one of the many packages on the market, look for one that contains advanced features, such as pop-up blockers and email protection, which will give you optimal security against threats.
Install Anti-Spyware
Spyware is a program that collects your personal information without your approval and redirects it to a third-party website. What makes them so damaging is that they are hard to find and often difficult to remove because they focus on the browser entry points.
Malware is often found as an attachment or program, and once you click on spyware, it can track your movements and let keyloggers monitor your keystrokes to steal your account and credit card information. There’s even malware that can create a fake login page for your bank’s website or pose as anti-virus software to steal your money. So make sure you have software installed to scan your computer and remove any suspected malware.
Set Your Security Browser To High
The browser that you’re using to search the internet will also have built-in security and privacy settings that you can adjust. Most default to a low setting, so you should switch the settings to a higher level to improve the security. You may also be able to turn off the browser’s ability to track your movements, which is beneficial to hackers if they gain access to your computer or phone.
Be Skeptical of Random Pop-Ups and Error Messages
Viruses and malware don’t only exist in attachments —hackers often use pop-ups and error messages to park their nasty threats. So avoid clicking on any pop-ups or error messages that appear when you’re exiting out of a program or page. If you happen to click on one accidentally and something starts to install, close out the program or page immediately and make sure to scan your computer for any viruses.
Don’t Install Software Before Checking that it’s Safe
There are thousands of apps and software packages out there, but not all are actually safe to download. Before you click to install a cool new app or program, make sure to do your due diligence. Is it from a trusted company? Does it require your Facebook login? What other apps has this creator made? What do the reviews say? Spending a few minutes inspecting the app or program can help to ensure you don’t end up downloading something you will regret later.
We hope that you learned something from this list and that it helps you stay safe and virus-free when you’re online!
