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Semalt: Five Steps That'll Do Away With Malware Infections

The internet has thousands of threats swarming it, making a perilous place for online users. There are over 74,000 new viruses developed every day with malware affecting over 30% of the computers globally.

Malware is a coined word from malicious software and is designed to make its way through a computer's defense system and cause damage to the appliance one using to access the internet, the business, or worse. Nik Chaykovskiy, the Semalt Senior Customer Success Manager, says that it may seem overwhelming, but some methods can limit or prevent damage to the device and the data stored inside.

Untrustworthy Programs

Often, when one runs an online session on a web browser, several popup windows appear out of nowhere. They are known to ask the user to download and run a certain software. The operating system's defense mechanism always kicks in and ask if the source is trustworthy. The tip here is only to run programs that have a digital signature.

Some of the applications to use are antivirus programs, which scan the system to ascertain what the intention of the file downloaded is and whether the computer is still secure by clicking on the popup. These popups could be the onset of a significant malware headache if blindly downloaded.

Update the System

Make a point of updating the operating system and the antivirus regularly. The best thing to do is to accept all updates automatically. The idea behind these updates is that they help solve errors and vulnerabilities from the previous versions. Malware is always evolving hence the need for regular updates. Intruders find it harder to access the network and have to look for newer ways to surpass this, at which point, the developers may already have a new update ready.

Avoid Opening Suspicious Email Attachments

Hackers have gotten better at innovative ways to gain illegal entry into a user's computer. They now do so using emails, most of which are spam. Always delete all spam without opening them. The emails seem to come from reputable sources only that they are not. They tend to make the headers and message important to create a sense of urgency. When these reach the inbox, scan them using an antivirus first. If one is unable to discern from who sent an email, they should do away with it as it could cost them more than just their computer health.

Use Complex Passwords

The number one rule of accessing the internet is to take precautions with the passwords used. Simple ones are easier to remembers, but it is the exact thing that cyber-criminals want the user to think. When they get a hold of these passwords, they attempt using them on other online accounts. That is why experts advise people to use different passwords for different accounts. An excellent password should be at least eight characters long and combine different characters. The quirkier, the better.

Avoid Open Wi-Fi Networks

Hackers take advantage of open networks as they spread malware easy to the connected computers for several reasons. Avoid such networks as they give the attacker an edge over the user's system.