Issue 8.14
We have talked a lot about the dangers to your computer and your information that various kinds of destructive programs pose. These can include viruses, malware, scam-ware, hijackers and others. The question I get asked more than any other is “How did this happen?” If you have a good quality virus program, the answer 9 times out of 10 is that you went somewhere on the internet or clicked on a popup or link in your email or on your screen that allowed the trouble in. This is because, as a general rule, prevention programs allow you to override their protection when you give permission for a program to run. That permission is given when you click on the option presented. The other possibility is that your anti-virus is out of date or has been shut down.
The most common doorways for these kinds of problems are toolbars and search engines. Often these are tied to each other. Websites and download sources get paid to attach these to their offerings in order to get them into your system. Once there, they can track what you do on the internet and present attractive ads or false warnings that pop up on your screen or direct you to websites that they determine you should visit rather than exactly what you are looking for. This in itself is troublesome, but the creators of these programs are not selective. They allow anyone who will pay them to redirect you to sites or programs that you do not want.
Once one or more of these programs are installed, they can open back doors into your computer for more malware (malicious software) and in a short time make your computer so clustered with junk that it is nearly impossible to use. It will slow down all your processes and limit your internet capabilities if left unchecked.
To avoid these problems, here are a few suggestions.
*Make sure you have a good anti-virus program (Kaspersky, AVG, Norton, etc.) and that it is up to date and active.
*Never click on pop up ads or other links you did not ask for. If you are interested in something, type the name in your search engine and read about the links before going.
*When downloading updates you actually want, read the fine print and uncheck any additional programs attached to your download so they won’t be included.
*Type in the name of the site instead of clicking the link. This defeats spoofing or misleading you as to where you are going.
*If you have been infected with malware but not a virus, load Malwarebytes free software and run it, then delete it.
*If the above don’t solve the problems, call your computer professional. Don’t just live with it or hope it will go away – it won’t. It will get worse.
Protect yourself, and understand that these kinds of threats make it more critical than ever to always back up anything on your computer that is important to you.
Shaun McCausland has worked in the computer industry for over 32 years, 23 years of it locally with Bits ‘N’ Bytes and Musicomp and currently does in-home and on-site computer consultation, service, training and repair. If you have questions you can reach him at 435-668-7118 or his website www.bitsnbytescomputers.com.