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Safe Computing

The internet is full of viruses, trojans and malicious programs known as malware. Unless you take the proper precautions, sooner or later your PC will get infected. The goal of providing you with this information is to give you some safety tips and teach you how to keep yourself and your computer safe on the Internet.

Safe Browsing Habits

Even if you have the most advanced protection system on your computer, you still have the ability to allow infections into your computer by way of poor browsing habits. It is very important to understand how to surf smart and avoid potentially dangerous areas of the internet.

Surf cautiously and sensibly. Visiting adult sites, social networking sites, “free” download sites, on-line game sites, and using p2p music/file sharing programs (limewire, bearshare, torrent applications, etc) are some of the most common places to pick up an infection. Visit only reputable sites for downloads and on-line games. If you use social networking sites such as Facebook and Myspace, be cautious of what you click on within these sites. While the sites themselves are not inherently dangerous, many of the profiles and links on these sites can be. Taking surveys or quizzes on these sites is one example of how you may open yourself to infection.

Never click on pop-ups. Pop-ups are an aggressive form of “advertising” and many can contain worms and viruses. Be sensible and do not believe pop-ups or banner ads that say things such as “Contratulations! You are the 1,000,000^th visitor. Click here to claim your prize!” or “Your computer is infected! Click here to scan and remove the infection.” Of course there are hundreds of other similar pop-ups and ads out there. Just use common sense and avoid clicking on anything that you aren’t completely sure of. When you see a strange pop-up on your screen, the safest way to close these is to use the ALT+F4 keys on your keyboard. This ensures that you do not click any buttons on the pop-up that may allow the malware to proceed into your system. If you absolutely cannot get out of the screen you’re on, power the computer off.

Keep Your Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware Software Up-To-Date

It is important to keep your anti-virus and anti-spyware applications up-to-date. Most anti-virus programs will update themselves automatically. If you are using AVG, the program updates itself regularly while you are on-line to ensure you’re protected from the latest viruses.

Run Regular MalwareBytes Scans

MalwareBytes is an excellent piece of software for removing malware from your computer. Follow the steps on the reverse side of this sheet to run a scan of your system. We recommend doing this bi-weekly or even weekly to ensure that your system remains clean. Of course if you suspect that you may have picked up something, you can run additional scans at any time. MalwareBytes.org also offers an optional paid version of the software that includes real-time scanning.

Running a scan with MalwareBytes:

Double-Click the MalwareBytes icon on the desktop
Click the “Update” tab at the top of the Window
Click the “Check for Updates” button and wait for the update to complete
Click the “Scanner” tab at the top of the Window
Make sure “Perform Quick Scan” is selected (you may also run “Full Scans” for deeper scanning)
Click the “Scan” button and wait for the scan to complete
If any items are found, click the “Show Results” button and remove all selected infections
Restart the computer if prompted to do so

Install Windows Updates When Notified

Most systems have Windows Update set to download and install updates automatically. In some instances, however, it is not always convenient to have these installed automatically. If you do not have your updates set for automatic installation, you will be notified from time to time in the lower right hand corner of your screen that updates are available for your computer. When you see these notifications you should install the updates. These updates plug security holes in the Windows operating system and reduce your risk of attack and infection. If you would like to modify your automatic update settings, you can find them in the control panel under “Automatic Updates” or “Windows Update” depending on your operating system.

Note: Some malware programs will attempt to disguise themselves as a Windows Update or Windows Security Center notification in your system tray. If you are not certain that it is a legitimate notification, call and speak with one of our technicians before clicking anything.

Summary

While there is no guarantee that you will never get infected again, following these pointers will greatly decrease your chances of infection. If you do get infected, the sooner you have the computer serviced the less damaging and pervasive the infection will be. As new tips and instructions become available we will update this information.