How to protect your computer from malware

If I were you, I wouldn’t do it, and I wouldn’t install that program on the PC. Do you wonder why? It’s effortless, it doesn’t seem very reliable to me, but I can understand that you may have difficulty realizing it. After all, if you’ve come across this tutorial to know how to protect your computer from malware. Whatever the motivation that pushes you to learn more about how to protect a PC, you can be sure that you will find what you are looking for in this tutorial.

Being aware of what is possible to do in cybersecurity is very important; therefore, I will give you all the advice I know regarding this topic of fundamental relevance during this tutorial. If you have this type of problem, then you are in the right place. I’ll try to cover all these things.

Table of Contents

Do you know how to protect your computer from malware?

Here are the three best tips for removing any malware from your computer. Are you excited? Then let’s get started.

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1# Install an antivirus

Speaking of general advice on how to protect a PC, the first golden rule you need to keep in mind is that prevention is better than cure. I use this saying because I am referring to the fact that, if you want to protect your computer, the first thing you need to do is install an antivirus. This software will provide your device with a protective barrier that will keep away everything capable of damaging your trusted technological partner. Antiviruses are, in fact, software that specialized in the detection of cyber threats and allowed you to block the startup of the same and also allow, in case your computer has been infected with viruses, to clean it from existing threats.

As you have surely understood, it is an essential, mighty, and useful tool that you must always have installed on your computer, as I explained to you. The reason is such important given by the fact that the antivirus can perform an essential preventive function by preventing your computer from being damaged by a virus by blocking the same malicious content. In this regard, I inform you that on Windows 10 computers, there is already a pre-installed free antivirus that, called Windows Defender, can detect all the threats on the Web and protect your computer from them.

Windows Defender, however, is an antivirus software with essential functions, and, in some more “serious” cases, it may not be able to guarantee sufficient protection for your computer. In case you want to evaluate the installation of antivirus with more advanced features, you will surely be interested in knowing that there are available antiviruses that are exceptionally performing from a technical point of view.

2# Use a firewall

The tips I’ll give you about computer protection is to use a firewall. A firewall is one kind of protection tool that monitors the network’s activities to protect it by preventing unauthorized access to it. On Windows and Mac computers, there are pre-installed and already active firewall services that can perform the functions very well. Even in this case, if you need additional features, you can use third-party firewall software.

Among the most famous software in this category, there are programs called Windows Firewall Control (for Windows computers) and Little Snitch (for machines with macOS operating systems). These have some additional features that allow you to quickly and effectively monitor the activities of the network. In addition to antivirus software, I suggest installing a program that deals with spyware and malware protection.

Unfortunately, It can understand that this special malicious software can escape antivirus, and this lack can cause considerable damage to your computer.

Spyware is a hazardous malicious program because it can record user data and then sell it to third parties for advertising purposes. On the other hand, Malware is malicious programs that act silently and pop out of nowhere, causing severe inconvenience.

Examples are CryptoLocker type malware, which is even capable of encrypting a computer’s data and blackmailing the victim who infected by extorting the money required for decryption.

3# You should keep your system always up to date.

New variants of malware are spreading every day, and the lists used by antiviruses are updated very often, even several times a day.

Therefore, I advise you to activate the automatic update, if your program allows it, to be protected as soon as possible even against new dangers;

Keep Windows and Office updated.

Microsoft releases security updates frequently, which used to prevent viruses and attacks from other computers, closing any Windows security holes.

I recommend you activate the automatic Windows update (I’ll explain how in a lesson to be published soon). Keep programs and components that are not from Microsoft up to date and in particular browsers, applications to read PDF, Adobe Flash, Java, QuickTime, Silverlight, add-ons, plugins, etc.

Hackers often take advantage of the numerous security holes in these programs to enter your computer or install malware, so try to have the latest version on your computer.

I prefer not to enable automatic updating of non-Microsoft programs to avoid slowdowns in the computer and connection. If you want to add extra security, then you may set your applications to update manually.

SOME ADVICE FOR PARENTS

If you intend to have your child use the computer and protect it from the numerous dangers of the network, you could then try to follow these additional tips:

Try to place the laptop in a passageway and not in your child’s room. In this way you will be able to keep an eye on the situation and interact more easily with him while he is on the Internet, trying, as much as possible, to surf with him and, at the same time, never leaving him alone in front of the PC;

If you use a Windows operating system, create an individual user account for your child. In this way you will be able to decide which websites it will be ready to visit and which time slots it will be able to connect to;

To keep under control of younger children’s navigation, you could also try to use special protection tools. Such as, for example, Family Safety, if you use a Windows operating system, Censor Controls. If you use a macOS operating system, or the little known Nanny if you use one of the many Linux distributions.

Conclusion

We know the value of safety from any malware or any other computer virus. Sometimes we will lose our many essential data or any necessary information because of malware. It’s our fault because of our unconsciousness about malware. For that’s why we do not run our computer when we need it. Now it is high time to aware of it. I gave three tips that are essential to remove from any malware. I hope you got the answer on how to protect your computer from malware in 2020. If you have more information then you may email us or simply comment below on this post.