How to Guard a Computer from Viruses

 

How to Guard a Computer from Viruses

Today there are thousands of viruses and malicious software that sneak into our computer systems and damage them. Therefore, to keep our equipment away from electronic contamination, it is essential to follow certain guidelines for the prevention and protection of viruses. In case of not doing so, the system could suffer severe damage in its operation, losing speed and effectiveness, or directly, be completely destroyed.

 

What types of viruses are there?

That said, it is important to bear in mind that to try to solve the damage caused by these "bugs" on the web, the key is to know how to identify and differentiate them. We are aware that it is a difficult task if you are not an expert on the subject, so we will give you a cable. (Antivirus)

Below we highlight the main classes of electronic viruses and their characteristics:

·    Hoax: This is a misleading email that indicates that you are damaging your computer, but actually you are not. Sometimes the content prompts the recipient to delete an important file or program, which removes the computer protector and makes way for the virus on the system.

·   Virus: The famous virus is a software program that generates an auto copy in another program. Although they generally only self-copy, there is also a minority of viruses that implement a bug, developed by the virus itself. All the damage that viruses can cause (in files, programs, hard drives, etc.), usually have a timer, or are automated to run at a certain time.

·       Worm: This is a variation of virus that appears on vulnerable computers and then copies itself to different systems, causing damage of all kinds. It is common to find them in the form of email lists or shared folders on different networks.

·     Phishing: These are the methods used to direct people who surf the Internet to malicious pages. Upon landing on the website, the deformed codes that make up the page generate a system failure and introduce the virus. Sometimes these pages are exact replicas of real pages, which are used as a means of obtaining personal or banking information.

·     Security vulnerability: It means that the system has weaknesses in the software, which make the appearance and activity of unwanted processes possible.

·   Trojan or Trojan Horse: It consists of a program designed to damage the security of a computer. To confuse the reader, it tends to hide behind files that are generally quite attractive to open. They are sent by email or through security vulnerabilities on the Internet. Damage begins to occur once the file has been opened or landed on the page, and its result is disastrous.

How to avoid them?

Once you know the types of viruses that exist, and how they filter into your computer, it is time to plan a defense strategy. Follow these guidelines to prevent them and you won't have to worry:

·         Install trusted Antivirus Software.

·    Update the Antivirus software whenever necessary, and do not use the computer while it is expired.

·         Run a full computer scan from time to time to make sure everything is correct.

·      Never open attachments or click on links in emails if you don't trust the sender. If you think they can be harmful, analyze them using an appropriate system. If you know the sender but the content makes you doubt, don't download it without first verifying that the sender consciously attached them.

·       Do not download multimedia files (movies, series, programs, etc.) that come from unknown or illegal pages. Also, do not watch streaming videos if they come from these types of pages.

·       Under no circumstances open attachments in emails whose extension is ".pif", ".exe", ".vbs", ".bat" or ".bak". Sometimes files have double extensions, which can be confusing, so check before opening.

·       From time to time, visit specific information sources, such as  Panda Security or  Virus List , to keep up to date with the latest viruses that surf the web. You can also subscribe to newsletters or newsletters that inform you of the latest news on the subject.

·       Make a backup copy, on a hard drive, of all the data you have on your computer. Although it will not help fight the virus, if it does, it will be easier to recover what was lost.