Let’s answer your question with another question. Did you know that malware and virus popups are our biggest call generator?  On average, we receive 15-30 calls every month from clients that have been infected with some type of malware.  It’s a problem that bares addressing.  Your software will only get you so far. Here’s what you do.

Install an  Anti-Virus Product – Just One. We suggest  Microsoft Security Essentials, because it’s free and gets the job done.  If you have more than one anti-virus software product on your PC, it’ll slow down your device considerably as if it were infected with the virus – not worth the inconvenience. The two products will fight each other for supremacy and you will lose!

Keep that Product Up To Date. Most of the malware or anti-virus software products, you’ll come across have built-in, automated updates, but it never hurts to check-in every once in awhile to make sure the updates, are in fact updating. Your anti-virus software is useless if you don’t have the latest version and the latest “signature” files that identify suspicious activity.

Keep Windows Up To Date! Make sure that your Windows/Microsoft Update is set to automatically update itself on a consistent basis. This is as effective a measure as any anti-virus software you choose to invest in.

If you have Windows XP or Vista, Dump It! Both of these versions of Windows simply lack the security infrastructure needed to provide is your best line of defense.  The hardware is antiquated. If you have Windows XP, it’s time for a new PC. Don’t bother with an upgrade, save your money and time and purchase a new PC with Windows 7 or 8.  Trust us on this one.

Have a Backup Plan. Despite your best efforts,  despite having installed anti-virus software, at some point all of us will be infected with a bug of some sort.  Do you have all of your pictures, music, and documents backed up on another device? Do you use an external hard drive or cloud service software?  When you do get infected, you’ll want to make sure that you can restore your computer to former state.

Why do we even get viruses? It’s a criminal racket. Whoever wrote the code that infected your computer is in it for money. One of the most popular technique used among cybercriminals in recent years is ransomware.  A virus will infect your computer and hold your documents ransom or render your computer inoperable until you pay up. Interested in learning more about viruses? Check out our blog here.

 As always, if you have any comments, questions or concerns please feel free to Contact Us directly – or search the rest of our blog for security-related answers, by clicking here.