How to effectively combat malware
Malware is without a doubt the most common way for nasty cyber criminals to try and gain access to our personal data, and knowing how to combat it is one of the cornerstones of online safety. At Winzum we love online competitions, but we also love keeping you lovely lot safe, so take a recap on what malware is here [what is malware] before we get on to the best ways to combat it.
There are a variety of ways to keep malware at bay, so as much as you should be worrying about your online safety, it is also important to remember that staying safe online definitely isn’t the hardest thing in the world. Keep reading for a few simple ways to effectively combat malware and keep your online safety as secure as possible.
Always be aware of phishing attacks
Chances are most people would have heard the phrase phishing before, however actually knowing exactly what phishing is is a different thing entirely. Phishing is basically a technique that criminals use in order to “bait” individuals into clicking on a malicious link, thereby compromising their online safety.
Email phishing is the most common type of phishing attack to be aware of, so you definitely need to keep this in mind in order to stay safe online. For example, if you receive an email with an “URGENT” message from a service you haven’t even signed up for, chances are it is a phishing email. There is more on phishing for you lot to read up on here [what does phishing mean].
Install anti-malware software
By now a basic version of anti-virus software comes standard with most computers, however there are always better programmes available, especially ones that are also used for anti-malware protection. Obviously, you still need to be sensible with your online safety with anti-malware software installed, however it is a very valuable line of defence.
Anti-malware software can include malware removal and a malware scanner, so you should be able to rest confident in the knowledge that your data is safe.
Only browse on websites you can trust
Most commonly used websites on the Internet these days are pretty safe, however there are also plenty out there that could be genuinely dangerous for your online safety. Staying safe online is impossible if you are visiting dodgy websites, especially considering these sites are prone to being full of potential malware.
So, stay away from dodgy websites where you can, and only browse on websites you know you can trust (like our Winzum one!).
Make regular back-ups
Any sensible person out there will be making regular back-ups of their files, because you never know when your computer might pack it in. But there is another key reason why you should always make regular back-ups, and that is to prevent harmful fall out from a potential ransomware attack.
Ransomware effectively locks your computer and holds it up for ransom, so if you have a recent backup you could simply wipe everything and restore.