Top 5 Tools to Prevent Malware
With 2.1 billion people actively using the Internet, according to numbers from traffic site Pingdom , Internet users now account for 30 percent of the planet’s population. Security experts estimate that:
• Tens of millions and possibly hundreds of millions of bot-infected computers are roaming the Internet, looking for vulnerabilities in these people’s computers or counting on them to be careless when opening a malicious URL.
• Between one-quarter and one-third of all home computer systems are already infected with some type of malware.
Cybercriminals use various types of malware to cause harm to its victims in varying degrees, ranging from minor annoyance (such as pop-up ads in your browser) to major financial loss (if scammers get a hold of your customers’ credit card or banking details and commit fraud).
To combat malware of all shapes and forms, here’s the top 5 types of software you install today:
1. An updated operating system: Windows updates will automatically notify you of updates, or even automatically download and install updates.
2. An updated browser: Whether you use Internet Explorer or Safari (or whatever you like, really), it’s important to keep it updated to prevent infection. Always use your browser’s safety features, such as pop-up blocking, download screening, and automatic update features.
3. Antivirus software: You must run an antivirus program (preferably with ant-malware capabilities) to be safe. Keep it updated, turned on, and schedule a scan to run regularly.
4. Firewall: You can use a third-party firewall or just use Windows Firewall.
5. Spam filter: If your email provider doesn’t prevent spam from entering your in-box, consider additional spam filtering software.
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