Computer viruses may feel so 1990s but they are still a prevalent threat today – especially for businesses. Scammers have improved their ability to mask viruses as seemingly everyday business emails and attachments. Here are 5 ways you can get a computer virus in 2016:
- Email Attachments
Most viruses come through email attachments. If you ever receive an attachment from an UNKNOWN sender we advise you do not open the attachment. If you receive a suspicious email from someone you know, do not open the email or its attachments as well. Suspicious activity can include random hyperlinks, characters, or numbers.
- Not Having Antivirus Software
We see many clients who forget to renew antivirus software. The reminders pop-up at inconvenient times and eventually fade away. If you have let your antivirus software lapse, be sure to perform a scan for potential threats.
- Forgetting To Perform Antivirus Scans
Most Antivirus software will catch a virus without doing a full scan. However, they can’t catch everything. We recommend setting up automatic scans of your IT equipment that way you do not have to remember to complete a scan. If they are not set up automatically, be sure to scan at least weekly for potential threats.
- Enter Personal Information on Untrusted Sites or Networks
If you are connect to unprotected Internet, DO NOT enter any personal information online. Hackers can pull your information from unprotected wi-fi networks. If you are on a site that is not secure, never enter any sensitive information. When you click “submit” that information will be broadcasted to anyone near by.
- Pop-Ups
Pop-up ads are almost always spam. It is rare to encounter a pop-up ad with valid information. Do yourself a favor, don’t click on pop-ups.
These are the top 5 ways to avoid getting viruses on your computer. Even if you have all these areas covered, you can still be at risk. Don’t forget to contact Datasmith to set up a back-up plan for your data.
