As the internet began to grow in popularity and computer began to make their way into everyone's homes, malware also came into existence. At first, malware primarily targeted companies, but it eventually came to target individuals. In the late 1990's and early 2000's, the solution to malware was simple: use an antivirus program.
Unfortunately, that philosophy is still believed to be the best way to defend against modern threats. Too many people believe that they can install an antivirus on their computer and never have to worry about threats. This is simply not true! While antivirus software should be an important part of your defense, it cannot be the only defense you have.
However, you also do not need to go load up your browser with security software. In fact, in some cases, having more than one product doing the same thing can leave you more vulnerable. This means that we must take our online security into our own hands. Here are some things you can do to stay safe as you browse the internet:
1) Keep Your Software Up-to-Date - Sometimes companies will issue updates that are not necessary, but the vast majority of the updates your computer wants to download and install are intended to fix security holes that have been found. These patches close backdoors that attackers could use to get onto your system. Since these are holes in software (such as your operating system or your browser), an antivirus program will not catch most of them.
I know it can be annoying to turn off your computer and have to wait while it installs updates, but it is an important part to staying safe. Once a patch is released, attackers become aware of that vulnerability (if the did not know about it before), and they can begin to exploit it on unpatched computers. Always let your computer install updates.
2) Use a Modern Browser - Web browsers go through life cycles, too. When a new version of your browser is released, update to it as soon as possible. I recently received an infected computer that was still using Internet Explorer 6 (IE is currently on version 11). Since all the major web browsers are available for free, there is no reason to use anything other than the most current version.
3) Don't Install Untrusted Media - One fairly common method to gain unauthorized access to a corporate network or other secured installation is to leave a flash drive somewhere on the property. When a person finds it, they usually want to stick it into their computer and see if they can find the owner. However, that flash drive could contain malware that downloads itself onto your computer the second you plug it in. If you do not know who something belongs to, do not connect it to your computer.
The same principle applies to free software downloads. There are plenty of excellent free programs available, but there are also malicious downloads that masquerade as alternatives to expensive software. You may or may not get software that accomplishes the tasks you need, but you could also end up with headaches as you try to clean up the damage. Unless you are testing the software in a controlled environment, only download software that has recommendations from trusted sites.
As a final note, be careful when you download from certain download sites. Many sites offering free downloads support themselves with advertising. However, many advertising networks will run ads featuring download buttons that are similar to the site's actual button. I have heard of several instances where someone has downloaded the wrong file because they clicked on a malicious download button on one of these sites. This is also one reason why I recommend using an ad blocker.
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