Malware Will Make You Greatly Malcontented – Here is How You Can Help Prevent It
Let ProtectIQ™ help keep malware at bay
Malware is one of the biggest threats to the security of your computer, tablet, phone, and other devices. Malware includes viruses, spyware, ransomware, and other unwanted software that gets secretly installed onto your device. Once malware is on your device, criminals can use it to steal your sensitive information, send you unwanted or inappropriate ads, demand payment to unscramble data encrypted by ransomware, and make your device vulnerable to even more malware. Here’s what to know to recognize, remove, and avoid malware.
Look for unusual behavior from your phone, tablet, or computer. Your device might have been infected with malware if it suddenly slows down, crashes, or displays repeated error messages, won’t shut down or restart, does not let you remove software, or serves up pop-ups or inappropriate ads.
Malware can get onto your device when you open or download attachments or visit unknown websites. Your device might get infected with malware through downloading free stuff like popular movies, TV shows, or games, content available on file-sharing sites, or from files on removable storage devices like external hard drives or thumb drives. You can even get malware from clicking links in fake security pop-ups sent to your computer by tech support scammers, ads placed by scammers on websites you visit, and phishing emails that trick you into clicking on a link or opening an attachment.
If you think you have malware stop shopping, banking, and doing other things online that involve usernames, passwords, or other sensitive information, until you get your device cleared of any malware. To remove the malware, check to see if you have security software on your device. If not, download it and then scan your device for malware and delete anything it identifies as a problem. You may have to restart your device for the changes to take effect. Run your scan again to make sure everything is clear. If the scan shows there are no more issues, you’ve likely removed the malware.
Scammers try to trick people into clicking on links that will download viruses, spyware, and other unwanted software, often by bundling it with free downloads. To avoid malware, only install applications from your device’s authorized app store, keep your security software updated, and use a firewall. Set your security software, internet browser, and operating system to update automatically, and don’t weaken your browser’s security settings.
Cumberland Connect subscribers can add a secret weapon to their cybersecurity arsenal: ProtectIQ Network Security. With ProtectIQ™, you can have an extra layer of network-level security that helps protect all devices connected to your network. It leverages a large cloud database of known virus and ransomware threats. By looking for the specific signatures of these threats in real-time, ProtectIQ can terminate the transfer of data before a malicious payload is delivered to any vulnerable devices in the network. As new threats are emerging daily, the threat database is continuously updated to offer protection against the latest threats.
ProtectIQ is a network-level security application, included in the Peace of Mind Package, that works quietly in the background and proactively helps keep malicious websites, viruses, and intrusion away from your home 24/7/365. Learn more about ProtectIQ and the other great benefits of enrolling in the Peace of Mind Package by clicking here.
We want you to have an awesome experience online — and that means keeping your personal information safe and protected! We hope that spreading awareness and sharing these safety tips helps you stay safe online — and be sure to check out our blog to read more about common online scams to watch out for.
*ProtectIQ is not a replacement for traditional antivirus software, but rather, works together with your antivirus software by ensuring that Internet-connected devices like video cameras, Smart TVs, home automation systems, video doorbells, or any other “smart” devices in your home are monitored for web threats and intrusions. While ProtectIQ adds an extra layer of security to your Wi-Fi network, ProtectIQ is not a substitute for antivirus software, and our team recommends keeping anti-virus software as an add-on to ProtectIQ as it can help clean up any systems that are infected.
Sources: Calix
