Protection From Malware?

Most people don’t have protection from malware. They always hear about how dangerous viruses are, but often aren’t educated when it comes to malicious malware.

They often don’t put two and two together even when they experience computer issues such as:

• unexpected crashes
• an overall slow computer system
• the hard drive is running very hard
• strange popup windows
• weird messages
• programs go missing
• the router lights are constantly blinking even when you aren’t touching the computer
• strange e-mail issues such as people not getting your e-mails or getting strange ones you never sent
• your IP address gets blacklisted, etc.

There has been a massive rise in all types of different malware (ransomware) and cyber criminal activities all across the globe.  Cybersecurity firms are seeing that the statistics in just the first three months of 2016 is roughly the same amount of attacks that occurred a few years ago for the entire year.

So how do you get malware on your computer?

Well there are several different ways

1. You go to install software that you know to be “reputable”, but little do you know that some of these companies have become greedy and they take money from what is called crapware companies. This crapware is then bundled with their software and you end up downloading it.

   While you can uncheck the option to install this crapware, most people don’t even know they need to uncheck a box or that it’s even going to be installed on their computer in the first place.

   Some software may even give you the option of clicking on a “Decline” button, but once you do, it STILL allows the installation of this malicious crapware on your computer.

2. Social engineering is a very popular devious way that hackers get to people. Hackers use these emotional triggers to entice you to click on their malware using images or words they know will emotionally connect to your feelings or brain. They literally devise plans to trigger emotions such as a person’s fear or excitement about something.

   One example is by them placing malware onto your computer so that it becomes obvious to you that you have a problem.

   Once you start searching around online, their ads popup asking if they can help you. They offer you a solution to fix your problem if you just “buy” their anti virus removal product. Once you do that, they now have access to your entire computer. This hacker method is called “scareware.”

3. Another method is teasing people with an enticing video they want to see and then telling them that they have to download this video viewer so they can watch it.
4. If a company isn’t keeping an eye on their server and website, they can be targeted so the hacker puts malicious code onto their site’s code. Then anyone who visits the site will be infected.
5. Malware is also targeted at Microsoft Office products.
6. Hackers will also create forms and surveys offering you a free prize for filling them out. Since most people love free prizes, people will often fill these out.
7. People often get infected by installing malicious software such as screensavers and toolbars.

Often once you’ve been infected with malicious malware on your computer, the software starts to install even more that attacks your computer.

If you aren’t using a quality Anti-Virus or Anti-Spyware application like Malwarebytes, the odds of you getting infected increase.

We recommend MalwareBytes since we’ve been using it for years. We also make sure it’s installed on all our computers including cell phones and tablets. They have also just came out with version 3.0 with zero day and ransomware protection.

To Keep Yourself Safe Out On the Road, Read Our Article on Free Wifi is Not Safe