Easy Ways to Protect Your Computer Online
Keeping your computer safe should be one of your top priorities when you go online. However, it can be hard to know how to prepare yourself and give your computer the best defense. If you think your network could use some extra security, these protection options are an easy place to start.
Virus Protection
When computers were first starting out, viruses were one of the scariest and deadliest threats to its security. And that’s still true today. One of the biggest threats to websites and computers currently is still a computer virus, because they are designed to cause damage or steal information from a computer system. It’s hard to make yourself immune to all viruses, because there are several different types and they can be easily spread just like a real virus. But one of the best ways to keep yourself from getting infected is by getting virus protection software. Most computers have some kind of this software already loaded onto their systems when you buy them.
An equally important way is to just be wary of what you come into contact with using your computer. Viruses try to enter your computer undetected, and an easy way to do that is through spam emails or files or programs you downloaded from the Internet that aren’t secure. If you keep your spam filtered efficiently and only use reputable sources when you’re downloading information, that keeps your risk of catching a virus way down. Of course, it’s not a fail-safe. Just as computers have become more efficient since their introduction, so have viruses and their creators. It’s almost impossible to never catch a virus, but these steps will keep you from being at risk for a majority of them.
Firewall Protection
Firewall protection is another safety measure that you can try. These programs are designed as a first layer of protection to keep your computer safe from viruses and other harmful visitors. It does this by monitoring traffic on your network and determining if that traffic could be a potential hazard. If it is, it blocks the traffic from entering. Firewalls can even be programmed to keep you from accessing potentially dangerous websites if it thinks they might have viruses or spam attached to them.
Because there aren’t a lot of firewall software programs out there, it can be easy to assume that firewalls are outdated. But that’s hardly the case. Most of them are just set up already. If you use a router to access your network, then you already have one filtering traffic and keeping all the devices on your network safe. However, firewalls are really only a first layer of protection. It’s set to protect you from a set list of suspicious behavior or activity. They’re not a guaranteed shield from every threat out there.
Hacker Protection
And the last kind of protection you might want to be aware of is hacker protection. Hackers are people who are basically able to break into computer networks. They can get past firewalls and a lot of computer security measures in order to find what they’re after. Hackers have come increasingly popular lately, with many of them attacking large businesses and stealing their information. It’s important to note that hackers are not the large majority of people who know how to code and work around computer operations, but they can seem like a serious threat. That’s why there are so many guides to make your website or business safe from them.
Some businesses have taken that idea in stride and are using the hackers themselves to improve their security. The main way they do that is by hiring someone to perform what’s called a network penetration test. These tests go farther than past programs that simply scanned your network for possible problems. They’re able to find flaws in network security by testing it against a series of steps and bring it to the boss’s attention so that they can fix their problem areas. So while it may seem far-fetched for them to target you, just know that there are ways to be protected against possible attacks.
