Sunday, July 13, 2014

Improve Your Computer's Security

By Frankline Bell


It might seem a bit dramatic to state that our computer is our life's blood, but it is a crucial part of the lives of most people. These machines store everything from financial documents and information, details about your company or business, as well as personal information and even precious family photos. Keeping your system secure is a high priority, and the following tips can protect you from many common issues.

Anti-virus software is important to install, but it's more important to actually use the software properly. Often we are annoyed when the software asks permission for certain programs to run or downloads to complete, but it is far more annoying to deal with the repercussions of malware. Don't ignore the software when it asks to complete an update either, as these will lower your risk because the updates improve overall security. When a new type of malware is discovered, anti-virus companies create updates to tackle the problem or to fix other security issues.

You might think that anti-virus software and firewalls are the same, but you need both. A firewall protects your network or your personal computer from being accessed by an outside source. Anti-virus software scans for malware and viruses. Your router and computer both need a firewall, and your operating system probably already has a firewall. Often, the router and modem come equipped with a firewall from your internet service provider, but you can update to a stronger firewall if you like.

Updates are important in general, and while it can be a big pain to shut down everything and complete an update, they need to be done. Updates for your operating system or browsers often are provided to fix bugs in the system, but they also are just as likely to be used to fix security issues. The more up-to-date your computer is, the safer the system is in general.

Many times, however, it's the computer user that unknowingly places a virus or worm or other type of malware on their computer. You can do this by simple clicking on a strange link in an email or by downloading something to your computer from an un-trusted site. It's also not wise to store your passwords on your computer, especially for any site where you give out banking or financial information. It's also wise to have a different password for every site that you use and make sure you have decent passwords that include a combination of letters, numbers, symbols and capitalization. This might seem like a pain, but imagine how difficult life will be if someone hacks into your system, steals your information and uses it for fraudulent purposes.

What do you do if your computer already has fallen victim to a virus or spyware? Call in an expert to come and fix the problem. At GeeksAKnockin', for example, an expert computer tech can locate malware, remove the program and get your computer working properly again. They also can help you prevent such attacks in the future, no matter what type of operating system you are using. Some computer problems even can be solved remotely, but if not, a tech will come out to you, so you never have to haul your computer in for repairs. GeeksAKnockin' also offers many other services, including help with setting up networks, installing hardware and with backup and information recovery.




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