One stitch in time saves more than nine
Be afraid, very afraid! Has your computer been running slow lately? Do files regularly disappear from your hard drive? Is your hard drive light flickering madly even when you’re not accessing it? If your answer to any of these questions is yes, it is about time you scan your PC for malware.
There are different types of malware in the wild and they are targeting vulnerable PCs like yours. Most people simply install an antivirus program and are content to know that their computer is safe from prying eyes. This is a serious misunderstanding. There was a time, a decade ago, when a decent antivirus was more than enough to protect your PC from various types of attacks, but today it is not suitable. While new and dangerous viruses are released with rapid regularity, some new classes of malware are dominating. These are generally called malware and consist of adware, Trojans, keyloggers, spyware, etc. Then there are the phishing websites that look like a real website, but are a disguised version of it.
All of these things have one intention in mind and that is to protect your private information without alerting you. Are you sure your bank’s website is genuine? Have you searched for the ‘https: //’ in the URL or not? Did you visit your bank’s website by clicking on the link that you allegedly received from your bankers in an email that threatened to freeze your bank account unless you changed your password? The email included a link to the password change section of your bank’s website. You can bet this link leads to a phishing website that looks exactly like your bank’s website.
Even if you haven’t received any emails and are just checking your account status through online banking, is there any guarantee that your data won’t be compromised? If your computer is infected with a keylogger, each and every keystroke of yours is logged and sent to some unauthorized person over the Internet. Yes, these people can easily access your credit card information and even your bank account details, including login name and password. Does this sound very scary? You should and should be afraid … very afraid, unless you have taken the proper precautions.
There are certain programs available for free on the net and using them; You can thwart the intentions of these malicious people. Although no program guarantees to protect your PC from all types of attacks, the level of protection improves if you install some of them. You can find and install some free programs like ‘Adaware’, ‘Spybot Search & Destroy’ and ‘Spywareblaster’ to improve the security of your PC while surfing the net or accessing your email. Be sure to download them only from the author’s or publisher’s website. Install them and update your signatures periodically, preferably daily. This will help increase the security of your PC.
I will continue with more articles that will educate you more about these creatures, how to identify them, how they get access to your PC, and how you can prevent them from attacking your PC. I will also follow up with detailed articles to guide you in keeping your computer safe and secure.