An old saying states that a computer is only fully protected from risk when it is turned off. That may be true but there are ways to make sure you browse the internet safely. Adhering to a few best practice principles could make a big difference on keeping your personal information secure.
In order to educate yourself on staying away from malware you first must understand what it is and where it hides. Malware is a general term for any software that has malicious intent. Whether it is a virus, a key logger or a spam generator, the term is the same. Although cases for malware being preinstalled on USB key drives have been reported, malware usually hides on websites or in emails. So how do you spot it and avoid it?
When browsing through email in Outlook it is best not to use the reading/preview pane. Spam messages may contain hidden images that launch malicious software installations once viewed. To disable the email preview in Outlook 2007 click on View > Reading Pane > Off – please note depending on your version of Outlook this may change. Use the built-in Help in Outlook to find the option to disable the email preview.
Whether you use Outlook or not, opening email that you are not expecting can be harmful. If you receive an email from someone you know but weren’t expecting, call the person and ask if they meant to send the email. If you receive an email from someone you do not recognize or a sender/subject that doesn’t look right, delete it. Attachments in emails should never be opened unless you are expecting the file. Attachments are the easiest way for malware to spread through email. Remember to be diligent, ask the sender if the attachment is legitimate.
Malware also lives on websites. Historically malware has only been found on websites that were less then reputable. Recently however with the advent of social networking, embedded video and user generated content, malware has found it’s way into mainstream websites. No longer is it ok to browse a nationally known website and not worry about malware. You can still safeguard yourself by not clicking on any pop up windows or installing anything from websites that you are not expecting. If you are confronted with a pop up window and are not sure what to do, call our CTN helpdesk and we will assist you.
If a website you are browsing suddenly starts to misbehave and launches a download, quickly disable your internet connection by either turning off your WiFi card (many laptops have a physical button to disable wireless) or by unplugging your ethernet cable. If you are a CTN client, please call our helpdesk and let the technician know a website unexpectedly launched a download. If you could not catch it in time and you think something malicious was just installed, shut down your PC and call our CTN helpdesk. Once the malware is installed on your machine we want to make sure it does not spread.
Malware can also install itself silently on your machine. If your computer suddenly starts to act sluggishly you may have been infected without your knowledge. If that is the case, shut down your machine and call our CTN helpdesk. We can walk you through ways to remove the malware and answer any of your questions.