Is your computer safe?

Because I do web design and fix computers on the side, I get so many people asking me about why their computer is running slow or why they are getting viruses! The answer is simple…

1. You HAVE to have a virus protection program if you are going to be on the Internet! No ifs, ands, or buts! That is just the way it is now days. There are so many sites I go to thinking, ehh, I will be fine, and my Norton pops up a message that says “virus attack blocked” (or whatever, but you get the point). What I am getting at, is no matter what, you have to have Virus Protection Software. Two of the more popular ones are Norton and McAfee.
   1. Check with your internet service provider to see if they offer a FREE Security Software. I have Comcast, and they have Norton Security for FREE! It is an awesome service! This could save you a lot since the program stays up to date and you don’t ever have to pay for updates.
2. Don’t just get Virus Protection Software but run it at least 1-2 times a week, and if you have a program like Norton, you can run Disk Cleanup, Internet Explorer History Cleanup, Registry Cleanup and tons of other stuff to keep your computer running tons faster!
3. You SHOULD have an adware and spyware remover program(s). Two of my favorites are Malwarebytes and Spyware Terminator. Again run these at least once a week, or setup a schedule for the program to run automatically.

Some important things to remember while you are on the Internet:

1. Have your computer in an open area, not in a bedroom or office where children can get on it and play around unsupervised. This is pretty straight forward. Kids don’t always understand the “dangers’ of content on the Internet so it is wise to always have your kids in a supervised area. Especially teenagers.
2. Stay away from sites that look suspicious. If it has a lot of pop ups, I would not recommend going back to that site, and to leave it quickly.
3. If a pop-up comes up on your computer that asks you to scan or tells you that you have a virus immediately take the following actions (unless it is from your antivirus software, which will be branded with their logo!)
   1. Hit CTRL+ALT + DELETE on your keyboard in that order, but pushing all buttons together.
   2. Select “Start Task Manager”
   3. A box will pop up showing you your Applications that are currently running on your computer.
   4. Select the browser (Internet explorer, FireFox, google chrome, etc) and hit the “End Task” button down in the corner. You may need to confirm the action.
   5. This will close out your browser so that the virus can not be installed on your computer (hopefully).
4.  Set up rules with your kids about the Internet, and be very cautious of their Internet usage and what they are doing. You might just be surprised.

If you have other questions or comments please post them. I hope this helps you stay safe on your computer!