Identity theft is a problem, which means that keeping hackers and malware away from your personal information is a must.
Although some people think that protecting their computers from malware is extremely difficult, they couldn’t be more wrong. There are things you can do to make sure your electronics are protected.
- Make sure your OS, browsers and plugins are updated. This is a simple common-sense step that all PC users should take. Why? Because many of these updates are released because they’re designed to patch security vulnerabilities. If you’re not running the most updated version of your OS, your browsers or your plugins, you run a greater risk of becoming infected with malware.
- Make sure you plugins are click-to-play enabled. Most PC users understand the risks associated with downloading / opening documents or attachments from suspicious email addresses. What people don’t realize, is that some malware developers have found ways to get around that. They do this through the use of malicious ads; unless your plugins are click-to-play enabled, these types of ads will open and run on their own. In some cases, these ads have even been found on well-known websites!
- Uninstall programs you no longer use. If you have older versions of Adobe Reader, or older versions of media players on your laptop or personal computer, it may be time to remove those programs. Not only will this provide you with an added layer of protection, it will also free up space (and RAM) on your device.
- Be wary of suspicious emails and texts. Cyber criminals love to send out spoof emails from banks in hopes they’ll get their hands on your personal information. We’ve even known of people who have gotten “emergency alerts” from banks where they don’t have accounts, saying they need to “log in” immediately to update their information. (If that’s not suspect, we don’t know what is.) If the language in the email doesn’t seem quite right, or it seems as if the word choices, and sentence structures seem a bit strange, consider this to be a red flag. If you have questions about whether your bank is truly trying to get in touch with you, call them directly.
- Use strong passwords and consider using a password manager. Remember, a strong password that isn’t written down somewhere, and it’s one that’s changed often. You’ll also want to use different passwords for your various online accounts. If your password for your bank login, Facebook, Instagram and email accounts are all the same, if a hacker gets their hand on your password, all of your accounts will be compromised.
Computer experts in Denver
At Rocky Mountain Computer Specialists, we have decades of helping people with all of their computer repair and IT needs. If you suspect your computer is infected with malware, or if you’d like to know what other types of steps you can take to make sure your devices are protected, call us today at 303-371-7214 to learn more.