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How to protect your OS in 2018

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computer osYou may be a user of a Windows PC, MAC or Android. You may think that issues that plague one system will never be your headache. You may pay a little less attention to security issues than you should. In all of those cases, we want to upset you. You actually need to be very aware of potential threats that exist on the internet.

Viruses and malware evolve constantly. It is an arms race that never ends. As soon as the developer finds out about a certain virus and creates and anti-measure, hackers come up with an even more sophisticated idea of how to break the system. This war never ends. It has casualties on both sides of the barricades.

We all can become victims in this war. Hackers are after your identity, money, personal information, and many other things that you may consider valuable. It means that we must pay close attention to security issues. How can you protect your OS? Obviously, methods for each separate OS will be different, but there are several general recommendations that work for every single OS out there.

Do Not Use Fishy Apps

This is redundant advice that we have to reiterate on a regular basis. There are thousands of vulnerabilities in any OS. You will have to deal with millions of issues. However, you can avoid a lot of problems by not using programs that may harm your PC, MAC or smartphone. The first thing you need to do is to remove potentially malicious software from the equation altogether. If your own OS warns you about the app that you are about to install and use, think twice before doing so.

Try to use only trusted software that comes from reliable developers. Do not use strange executable files that you receive from suspicious sources. Carefully approach torrented files. In many cases, the torrented software contains viruses and malware that you may not be aware of.

Use Antiviruses Regularly

Every single antivirus software has a scanner that should be used on a regular basis. We highly recommend you to install a good reliable antivirus and use it at least once a week. Even if you did not change anything on your device for a long time, you should still conduct a scan. Some viruses are delivered via unexpected sources. Your device can be infected via e-mails, messages, torrents, software updates, and even when connecting to public Wi-Fi hotspots.

The number of potential infection channels is big. You cannot fully protect yourself from all potential threats. Scanning your device from time to time is a good way to get rid of occasional viruses and malware that can sneak in.

Check All Incoming Files

Most antiviruses can be used to check files before you copy or open them. For example, Kaspersky has a feature that checks all connected flash drives. Avira can check e-mails. Well, most antivirus software developers give you similar tools. The thing is you can easily scan files before you use them. It prevents many potential threats. Even if you completely trust the source that gave you the file, you should still check it.

Get a Good Antivirus

All of the above requires you to have a reliable antivirus at your disposal. One of the simplest ways to get a good one is to choose a reliable, experienced provider. There are many popular brands in the market. You may have heard about key players in the market, and even read some Kaspersky, AVG, TotalAV or BullGuard reviews. and many others. All of them have all-rounded software solutions that may be of use.

Pay close attention to the number of protected devices. Many companies will give you an opportunity to protect multiple devices including your phone, tablet PC, Windows PC, Linux or MAC. With a single subscription, you will be able to protect multiple devices and make sure that all files and programs that you are planning to use are safe.

Getting an antivirus is the first thing that you should do in order to protect yourself in 2018. Alongside avoiding attacks from so-called social engineers who try to lure you in with spam e-mails and ransom malware.

Just Be Careful

The last but not least is that you need to be mindful of every action you take online. There are many ways to get a virus on your computer. Try to avoid any unnecessary activities and don’t spend too much time on websites that you do not trust!

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