Malware: How to Prevent and Detect Them
There are so many things people don’t know about malware. First of all, malware is short for malicious software, which essentially means that a lot of programs fit this description. The main similarity between all of them is that they are used to crash systems, spy on people, and capture and use information for illegal purposes.
Once you know that definition, you wouldn’t be surprised to learn that today is the Age of Malware. Viruses are less common nowadays, and most hackers prefer malware because only malware can accomplish what they need.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at how you can prevent and detect these malicious programs and keep your computer and information safe and secure.
Regularly Update Your Computer’s Security
The basics of cyber protection are to keep your antivirus and anti-malware programs up to date. However, that’s not all; you also need to make sure that all of them update automatically. Make sure you do the same for your browser and your computer’s operating system.
Furthermore, it never hurts to keep backups of your data. The easiest way is to set your data to back up to the cloud regularly. While you’re at it, you should also establish your antivirus and anti-malware programs to run thorough scans at least once a week.
Be Careful with What You Download, Install, and Click
Most of the ways of preventing malware revolve around shielding yourself from them by being careful and verifying what you download and install, but also with what you click online or in your emails.
Furthermore, you should make sure that your browser does this independently as well. The security settings should be up to date and thus able to detect malicious sites and potentially harmful downloads.
Secure the Network
Your computer and phone’s security is essential, but you also have to secure the network you use and prevent malware from having an easy way of reaching your hardware. Your Wi-Fi connection needs to be secured with a good password, and you should use proper encryption. By this, we mean WPA or WPA2 and not WEP which is no longer secure enough. Another thing that you can do is not to broadcast the name of your network. That means you will have to type it when you connect manually, but the extra layer of security it brings matters.
What to Do When Malware Hits
Sometimes even the best security measures can’t protect you from everything. If you believe your system became infected, look for the following signs to determine if it has:
Any persistent unusual behavior
The system itself sending you to suspicious sites
Additional icons and the like you don’t remember installing
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When you know your system is infected, there are several steps to take to delete the malicious software:
Stop using the system for sensitive things like banking and don’t type in any passwords
Verify your security software is still running
Use the security software to find and delete malware
If the problem persists, contact professionals for help
As you can see, protection from malware is a more extensive process than most people believe. If you want to know more, or you want some help with this, feel free to contact Titanium Cobra Solutions, and we’ll make sure our professional team provides the service you deserve.
