Good cyber hygiene is essential to protect your personal computers and gadgets from online attacks. Prevention is always better than cure, as once a virus or malware attacks your computer, it may never be the same again.
WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF INFECTION?
Although our gadgets can often behave erratically, at least in our opinion, regular system crashes, or a very slow running machine could indicate something serious. Check out the 10 signs of malware infection over at Kaspersky Daily. If you believe your computer may be infected or want reassurance that it isn’t, scan now with your security software. If you don’t have any, or if you think it may be compromised.
Malware is often installed with the end goal of obtaining passwords or financial information. If you don’t first notice a problem with your device, you may instead see unusual transactions on your bank or credit card statements or receive a bill for a mobile phone you don’t own.
HOW TO PREVENT MALWARE INFECTION
Installing a complete security software solution, such as Multi-Device, is essential to protect your computer, tablet or smartphone against malicious online programs or attacks. In addition, follow these top tips:
Firewall – A firewall works alongside Internet security software to protect your computer from attempts to access your hard drive. Firewalls block suspicious or inappropriate content. Firewall software may be built into your gadget’s operating system or your broadband router. There are also free firewall programs available online, or you can buy a hardware firewall. Check that your firewall is set up correctly, activated and updated regularly.
Passwords are vital – When it comes to passwords, longer is better. Include a mixture of letters and numbers, and don’t use the same password for multiple accounts. True, they can be annoying to remember, but it’s more hassle to have your information stolen. Could you not share them? Find out everything you need to know about passwords here.
Look for the padlock – An ‘https’ in the site address or a padlock beside the URL in your browser means you have a secure connection. This is very important if you want to upload or download your data.
Back up, back up, back up – Make sure you have your most important data backed up if it’s lost unexpectedly or is hacked. Use an external hard drive storage device, which can be safely stored away from your computer, or a cloud storage system. Clouds have their security issues, however – more on that later.
Perform regular updates – Performing regular software updates is important, including bug fixes and security patches. Your system will run better as a result, and security holes will be plugged.
You must be particularly careful when using digital banking and making online payments – read our Your money articles elsewhere in the Think Security Guide to ensure you’re keeping yourself and your data safe.
Ensuring that your security software is up to date and maintaining the cyber hygiene of your computer, tablet, and smartphone is your best defence against malware infection.
SHOULD YOU USE THE CLOUD?
Cloud storage works by storing your files on remote servers rather than your local hard drive, almost like a virtual backup.
The truth is, using the cloud has the same risks as storing any information on the Internet, and you should take the same measures to protect yourself and your computer.
There is the possibility that someone else may access your information – may be someone you don’t want to – or a fraudster could get hold of your information to steal your identity.
It would help if you weren’t afraid of cloud technology, however. Instead, you can take advantage of all the positives it brings while taking a few steps to protect your information. The same tips described above apply – along with a few extras below:
If you use the cloud choose a provider that fits your needs – you are trusting this company to store your personal information, so make sure they are trustworthy and have a good reputation.
Be aware of what you are signing away – if the cloud provider is hacked or loses your data, it isn’t much you can do. Be mindful of the information you are storing in the cloud and keep a copy of your files on your hard drive or an external device. Use strong, unique passwords and change them regularly. If two-factor authentication is an option, use it.
Again, back up – back up your cloud data like you would your computer’s hard drive in case it’s lost unexpectedly, or the cloud gets hacked.
Read the boring bits – some cloud storage providers let you share your online folders with others. Be sure you know how this works. Can they read them, or could they make changes to the files? Do you have any personal details (name, account, email) attached to any files that a stranger could access?
No computing system or method of data storage is perfect; each has its vulnerabilities. Many of the security issues of the cloud are for cloud service providers to overcome; however, there is still much we can do to protect ourselves using the tips above.
Ensuring that your security software is up to date and maintaining the cyber hygiene of your computer, tablet, and smartphone is your best defence against malware infection.
