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7 Tips to Protect Your Computer From Viruses and Malware

Anyone who owns a PC knows they are in a constant battle with malware and viruses. If you do not take adequate precautions, it won’t take long before these pieces of malicious software render your computer useless.

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Install Anti-virus software

Install a trusted Anti-virus software program on your computer. An anti-virus provides real-time protection against malicious activities of viruses on your PC by preventing, scanning, detecting and getting rid of viruses from a computer.

There is a malware removal tool on the internet. Do your research before opting for any. Also, the most expensive piece of software may not likely be the best.

Scan your computer daily

Now that you have an anti-virus installed. Don’t leave it dormant on your PC. Endeavor you scan for malicious programs on your PC every day. Yes! The software naturally scans for virus. But it would not do any deep scan unless you command it to do so.

Download stuff only from safe platforms

Be wary of how you download stuff on the internet. Treat online downloads with the same level of care as you would when buying things online. Failure to do this may expose your computer rains of attack from cybercriminals.

The following tips should be useful; One, download only from safe websites. Another thing is, scan the downloads before launching. 

Use a secure browser

A secure browser would naturally protect you from malicious pop-ups and websites on the internet. It would secure your privacy on the internet against the invasion of attackers. There are many browsers on the internet but check the ones that are used most by others.

Avoid unprotected Wi-Fi

An unprotected Wi-Fi means freedom, right? The freedom to download heavy chunks of file that you could not download on your own. However, this is riskier than you can ever imagine.

If you are unaware, a cybercriminal can gain access to your data once you aconnect to a public Wi-Fi. Another risk is they can transfer viruses via public Wi-Fi to your computer without any hinderance.

Update your OS often

If you keave the operating system for too long without updating to the latest version, you are subjecting yourself to potential attack from malware.

The same way the operating system of a computer is upgraded to improve performance is how versions of malware programs are updated to improve the potency of their attack. So, a higher version of a virus might override the firewall protection of your computer if the OS is not up-to-date.

Avoid cracked software

Instead of downloading the cracked version of a paid-software, look for a cheaper alternative or save money until you are able to afford it. The cracked versions usually contain malicious codes that can potentially damage your PC.

Moreover, you are liable for copyright infringement if you use the cracked version of a program. If the fear of malware attack is not enough to scare you, how about that of a lawsuit?

Christopher Stern

Christopher Stern is a Washington-based reporter. Chris spent many years covering tech policy as a business reporter for renowned publications. He has extensive experience covering Congress, the Federal Communications Commission, and the Federal Trade Commissions. He is a graduate of Middlebury College. Email:[email protected]

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