Sadly, as wonderful as the internet is, computers can easily become riddled with problems thanks to malicious programs that “infect” them with computer viruses, usually as a result of unsafe (and often unwitting) web browsing or email usage. These programs, or “malware” as they have become known, find their way onto computers in various ways. They can be hiding out on websites or attached to emails. Some do little harm, while others (or many together) can render a computer unusable eventually. Then there are the tricksters that try to get people to disclose personal information, usually via unsolicited emails, and there’s “spyware” that runs in the background, capturing information about what websites you are visiting, what you are searching for and sometimes even monitoring your typing to try and capture your passwords for the websites and services you use. It all sounds very scary but by following some key rules it is possible to stay very safe.
Staying safe online starts with keeping your computer “clean” and protected. Both Mac computers as well as Windows PCs are susceptible to problems, although the majority of industry experts deem Macs to be safer, out of the box. Certainly, Windows-based machines are more often “targeted” by malware than Macs. Every Windows machine should have malware protection installed. Here’s where it can get a little tricky: malware protection often comes at a cost, sometime slowing your machine down, increasing the startup times and even installing additional applications that clutter up your hard drive for no good reason. The providers of protection software also want to make money. Many of them provide free versions of their software (which are perfectly adequate for most people) but will then continuously nag and encourage you to upgrade to their paid versions. Of the many choices available I recommend the free Malwarebytes virus protection – www.malwarebytes.org. They also have a premium, paid version, which adds additional protection by blocking websites that are known to cause problems. However, if you are thoughtful and sensible while browsing the web, you will probably never end up on one of the rogue websites, but you might feel it is worth the peace of mind that comes with purchasing the premium service (it’s an annual subscription of $25).
Staying safe online continues with being careful while browsing the web: doing Google searches on any subject that is “dubious” or illegal will quite likely take you to dubious websites, so don’t do it! Don’t search for “free” things that you know shouldn’t be available for free.
Staying safe online requires that you also be very careful with email. This is where the con artists thrive. Most email platforms will do a good job of filtering out unwanted, unsolicited emails (“junk mail” and “spam”), but some will occasionally get through. A golden rule is to never disclose any personal information by email, unless you are absolutely sure you know the person you are sending it to. Even then, don’t ever send any username / password information or bank account / credit card information – pick up the phone instead, if you ever need to do that. Be extremely suspicious of any email that asks you for private information. Some emails may look like they have come from your bank or credit card company (with logos, images, etc.) but in fact are disguised. One big danger signal is if the email is requesting personal information like a password or account number. Your real bank will never ask for anything like that over email. If in any doubt at all, apply the golden rule and call them instead.
Lastly, staying safe online requires that you be very careful about what you download. There are plenty of great application that you will want to download and install, many documents and articles, many free, legal music files, e-books and video files are available too (although streaming entertainment via YouTube and other reputable services is safer). Whenever you are online or doing email, take a moment to think first, and steer clear of downloading anything unless you are reasonably sure of what it is and that you really do want it on your computer.