Do you know what's running on your computer?
- Does your PC hang-up or freeze for no apparent reason?
- Is your PC running slower than normal?
- Does your browser direct you to sites you didn't want to visit?
- Are you experiencing unrequested pop-ups?
- Does your computer access the Internet even though you're not browsing?
- Does your browser jump to the wrong pages?
- Does Windows keep rebooting?
- Does your PC play unusual sounds or music at random times?
If you have one or more of the above symptoms, then chances are that your PC has been infected by Malware. Malware is a shorthand term for malicious software which can include Viruses, Worms, Spyware, Adware, Trojans, Bots, Keyloggers and other damaging software which can be resident on your machine without your knowledge.
How does Malware get onto your PC?
These days, the Internet is the major source of viruses, adware and spyware, trojans and other virulent software. Emails can carry viruses in attachments, so don't open emails from unknown sources. Downloading new software (especially free software) from the Internet can open your PC up to infection, while music and movies from the Internet are well-known sources of infection.
Don't ignore the dangers of inserting stiffy disks, USB flash drives or other storage media into your computer. Even if you only want to upload some MP3s, you run the risk of infecting your computer with a dangerous piece of software.
Is Malware always illegal?
The answer is no. Surprisingly, sometimes the damaging software is loaded onto our PCs with our consent. We all tend to avoid reading the terms and conditions when downloading software and usually go straight to clicking the "I Agree" button. In some cases we are agreeing to allow the source site to load any software they like onto our systems, and this opens the door to the transmission of Malware. It's a pain, we know, but reading the T&Cs can save a lot of heartache later.
How can we fight back?
Luckily, help is at hand. There are several things that you can do to stop Malware contaminating your PC and your life. Firstly, there are the preventative measures which everyone should know about.
- Don't open email attachments from unknown sources. Rather just delete the email. It could be totally innocent, but why take the chance?
- Even if you know the sender, treat unexpected email with suspicion.
- Never open any files with a double extension, e.g. imabaddy.txt.vrs. Normally you'll never receive a file such as this.
- Never give bank account numbers, logons or passwords, or any access code over the Internet.
- If you use wi-fi connections at home, set the highest level of encryption your router can provide (nowadays usually WPA) and use a sophisticated password (not your birthdate!).
- Update your operating system on a regular basis. Windows, for example is constantly upgrading the level of security that it provides.
- Don't file-share. There is really no way to know whether you can trust the individual you are sharing files with. File-sharers might add spyware, viruses, and worms to the files without your knowing.
- Take regular back-ups of your system. If the worst comes to the worst and a virus destroys your information, you can clean your PC and reload all of your valuable data.
OK, I've done that. What else do I need to do?
There are several low-cost protection programs which every PC owner should install. Free editions of some of them are available, but normally the protection offered with the free programs isn't nearly as good as the paid versions. We would recommend that every PC have the following software installed:
- A good Anti-virus program. This will detect and eliminate/quarantine viruses, worms, Trojans, bots and keyloggers.
- A Spyware/Adware detection and cleaning program. These types of programs may not be detected by a specialized anti-virus program and installing dedicated software is usually a good idea.
- A good back-up and restore program which can backup entire disk drives. This is recommended so that after a damaging virus attack, you can restore your entire system (works in the event of a disk crash also!).
- A firewall to protect your system from intrusion from the Internet. You can use a firewall to protect your home network and family from offensive Web sites and potential hackers.
With these measures and programs in place, you will be better protected than 95% of PC owners and you will be able to sleep easy in the knowledge that your PC is protected from harm.