How to stay virus free in 2010
For as long as there have been computers, there have computer viruses. They range from minor annoyances to complete system killers and infecting your computer is as simple as connecting to the internet. Fear not! I’m going to show you how to remain virus free, but I’m going to give you some tips on safe web browsing.
Where do viruses come from? A better question is where do they not come from. They can be literally anywhere. A less than reputable website, a downloadable file or maybe even from a friend. So what can you do to keep them off of your system?
Install and regularly update anti-virus software. This is the single most important thing that you can do. Without some sort of anti-virus protection you leave yourself completely exposed to infections. There are quite a few free options out there. AVG and Avira are great examples of this. Another must have free program is Malwarebytes.
Browse the internet with caution. Websites that look genuine can in fact be malicious copies of the site you think you are browsing. Most of these are looking to have you download something or type in your account information so that it can be sent away and used against you in some way. Another thing to be particularly wary of is pop-ups. These will often say things like “Your computer is at risk!” or “You have been infected”. No matter what it says, it’s most likely not a genuine notification. The important thing is to not click on these pop ups and never pay any untrusted website for virus removal or update fees. These scams make millions every year off of unsuspecting consumers.
With a little caution and up to date anti-virus you can keep your computer safe from infection and keep your personal information away from prying eyes.
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