Cyber Security 101 - Tip 2

Installing Protective Software.

 

 

 

 

     Continuing the cyber security tip series here is one of the most important tips for protecting your devices and data from malicious software and viruses. The lack of virus and malware protection remains one of the most common reasons why computer systems fail. It’s therefore best practice to install and use protective software such as Avast, AVG and Avira  which are some of the best free options available for download on Windows, Mac, and Linux systems.

Types of Viruses

Worms: These are programs which copy themselves to other computers on a network. They tend to slow things down as they consume more and more bandwidth or computer resources.

 

Trojans: Disguised as a common file, this type of virus performs malicious functions on the computer without the knowledge of the user (Think of the Trojan Horse of Troy)

 

Malware: There are many types of malware which is not classed as a virus. It is software used to spy on computer user's activities and collect personal information and are more commonly known as "spyware".

 

Why is it important to avoid viruses and malware?

Virus and malware protection goes a long way in increasing the longevity of your computers and laptops as well as securing your information. A computer or laptop without a virus protection will most likely be infected with harmful software within a few minutes of accessing an unsecure or public network. The effects of such harmful software includes but not limited to:

§  Prevent computers from booting up (aka the dreaded blue screen of death)

§  Slows computer processing

§  Damages parts of the operating system or alters how the system operates without the owner's knowledge

§  Corrupts, destroys alters files and documents

§  Infects other devices connected to the same network

§  Attack other machines using machine as a host

§  Send out unauthorized messages

§  Steal personal details such as email and social media account passwords (Malware)

§  Access and control webcams for spying (Malware)

§  Blocks or restricts internet access (Malware)
 

                  

New viruses and malware are developed as time goes by which promises to be more efficient and detrimental than their predecessors. Hence, it is advised to regularly update your protection software to its latest versions an scan your files on regular basis to always ensure you don’t become victim to such threats.