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Hi guys, This is a post created in collaboration with Suzan Izzet (suzan.izzet@gmail.com) – Thanks Suzan!

Has your computer been a victim of a deadly virus?

Unfortunately, bugs are an undying existence in the online world.

Listed below are 7 precautions you can take to protect your computer and your personal details.

• Automatic updates – Keep your Operating System Updated – Visit Microsoft Update Center to scan your system. Microsoft offers security updates on the second Tuesday of the month.

• Get anti-Virus software – There are many excellent anti virus software available, however free.grisoft.com has additional benefits of being a free download for home users.

• Stop using Internet Explorer and start using FireFox. If you’re still using Internet Explorer then you are just begging for trouble. Explorer has many features that allow friendly websites to make their page interactive. Unfortunately people can use these same features to wreak havoc on your computer. Start using FireFox. FireFox is much more secure and by installing a free firefox add-on called NoScript your computer will be extremely safe.

• Use a firewall to block unauthorized attempts to access your computer. Windows comes with “firewire” that protects your computer from malicious attempts to access it. Something that works even better is ZoneAlarm – it’s free from zonelabs.com, a non-cost program that blocks unauthorized Internet traffic to and from your computer.

• Downloading a free anti-adware or anti-spyware package. Windows Defender, Ad-Aware from Lavasoft or Spybot Search & Destroy

• (This is basic but is always forgotten) Do not open email attachments unless you know the sender is and you know what the file is. Email attachments are one of the most common ways in which viruses spread.

• Safeguard your email in public wi-fi hotspots (tip from Digital Inspiration)
  use https:// instead of http:// – the entire session will be encrypted and the cloning cookies method will fail:For GMail: https://mail.google.com/mail/

  For iGoogle: https://www.google.com/ig

  For basic HTML version of GMail – https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=html

There it is, 7 basic actions to guarantee your system virus-free.

By the way, the Security Hacks website has just published a laptop security tips worth read it.

Cheers

Lucio Dias Ribeiro