Viruses and malware are virtually the number one threat for PC users. Spyware can steal your bank passwords and personal information, cripple your PC with pop-ups, or use your email address to send out spam. Viruses can cripple your PC, network, and even your VoIP phone systems, causing an immediate call to your IT support company and hours of downtime to your business. These five precautions can help you avoid those extra phone calls and lost revenue by giving you the ability to do your best by your network and your PCs.
- Ensure all PCs on the network are equipped with effective and regularly updated anti-virus programs with real-time protection, so they’ll find viruses before the rest of the network can be affected. Your IT support company should take care of this for you, but the maintenance may be down to each individual user of the PCs.
- Refrain from clicking on unknown or suspicious links, especially when found in email or on social networking sites. If you don’t know the sender in any way, never click on a link in an attachment to an email. Similarly, if a link on a social networking site or in an instant messaging program seems suspiciously unlike a particular friend, avoid it at all costs. The most intelligent people fall prey to this simple tactic, so it’s essential to be vigilant.
- Never installed bootlegged software, especially not if you’ve downloaded it from the internet. You may think that you’re cutting costs by avoiding paying for a license, but you’ll often be voluntarily infecting your PC with malware which is extremely difficult to remove, even after you’ve uninstalled the original program. You could suffer far harsher consequences if your software abuse gets out anyway, so it’s best to pay for an extra license and avoid both malware and lawsuits.
- Make sensible browser choices. Do not continue using Internet Explorer 6 or 7 because they contain vulnerabilities which Microsoft is notoriously slow to fix. That means when a hole is found by a hacker, they can freely exploit it and Microsoft may not be able to solve the problem until after your PC has already been infected. In general, Microsoft browsers are less secure than other choices though Internet Explorer 8 has closed a number of holes and introduced security features that are still lacking in other browsers. If you want websites to work as they’re intended, however, IE8 is probably not the right choice, as it breaks a number of sites with its different compliance rules.
- Install all important updates to Windows. Updates usually include important fixes and patch up security holes that have been exposed by hackers. They can also add new features which will enhance your every day work life. If you’re unsure about an update, feel free to ask your IT support company whether or not it’s necessary for your business, but most security updates in particular should be installed shortly after their release.
