Work to Keep Your Computer Virus-Free

There are lots of different viruses out there that should motivate you to keep your anti-virus software updated. If you don’t have anti-virus software installed on your computer already, then you need to go ahead and do that project before you do anything else. Anti-virus software can help you avoid all kinds of turmoil. Though you may think that you’re only protecting your computer from attack, perhaps believing that it will never really happen to you, the fact is anti-virus software can protect you from identity theft as well. Installing the right anti-virus program on your computer is nothing to take lightly. Your computer can act as a portal through which all sorts of evil can find its way into your life. If you’ve been lucky enough to never have to deal with a virus, then count your blessings, but time is most certainly running out for you.

Some time ago, my computer got infected with Win32sality. It was an unlucky era in my life and I’ve never forgotten it. When I first found out that my computer was infected, I didn’t think it would be that big of a deal. I learned quickly, though that Win32 sality is a fairly challenging virus to work with and that it can cause a lot of damage. The virus installs itself on the system and then runs a payload on your computer if given the opportunity. I found out that the virus was logging my keystrokes, which meant that anything that I typed was sent off to a third party. My privacy was completely breached. It gave me the strangest feeling to know that as I was typing innocently on my computer, it was like someone else was watching everything that I was doing through the machine. I didn’t care for the psychological component of dealing with Win32sality, but the worst consequences came when my identity was stolen and I had to try to clean up my financial life as a result of the virus.

Since that time, I have been an active and passionate advocate for anti-virus software. Everyone who is online needs it. There are people out there who are coding viruses and malware right now, as I write about this problem. Indeed, every year, the viruses and malware get worse and more sophisticated. It’s important that people arm themselves as best they can against security breaches on their computers because much of the information that we have stored on our computers is sensitive and private. It shocks me when I hear that people don’t have anti-virus or anti-malware software at all because I know that it’s only a matter of time before their computer gets infected if it isn’t infected already. Win32sality is just one of many very nasty viruses that can cause some serious problems in your life. But much of that can be avoided if you just download the necessary software and keep it updated religiously. Find a company that’s reputable that you can trust and download software right away if you haven’t already. If you’re lucky, it won’t be too late.

Stay Malware-Free

Most people are familiar with the concept of computer viruses. They know that viruses can spread from computer to computer and that a virus can detract from your ability to control your computer. Viruses can be really mild infections or super serious depending on the type of virus. This is familiar to the vast majority of people who own computers, but malware isn’t quite as well-known or well-understood. Nonetheless, malware is just as serious of a threat and requires just as much attention as viruses in this day and age. If you aren’t familiar with malware, then take some time to learn a bit about it so that you can protect yourself from the threats that lurk out there on the web.

Viruses are essentially a type of malware. Malware or “malicious software” is software that was designed specifically to harm your computer, or to benefit a third party. It installs itself on your computer, typically without your knowledge or your permission. Not all malware spreads the way that viruses do and not all malware has the same overall purpose. Each virus and each piece of malware is different. If you want your computer to stay free from viruses (as most people do), then you probably want your computer to stay malware-free as well.

Sality is a virus that really demonstrates the importance of keeping your computer free from viruses. Sality doesn’t mess around. This virus can cause a host of problems on your computer, most of them without you even knowing about it. Your identity and private or sensitive information on your computer becomes the target of sality and your ability to maintain your computer’s security is compromised by the virus. If you don’t have the right anti-virus or anti-malware software installed on your computer, you won’t be able to avoid this one.

Malware can take many different forms. Spyware and adware are excellent examples of two different types of malware that are rampant online. Sality manifests certain aspects that are similar to spyware. For example, this virus will try to send your sensitive information to a third party via a designated email address. But not all spyware has viral properties. Viruses spread from computer to computer through some pre-programmed mechanism. But many types of spyware do not necessarily spread in this manner and so wouldn’t qualify to be called “viruses”. Rather, spyware aims to gather private data through some means and may install itself on your computer using non-viral methods.

If you want to stay malware-free, you need to know a bit about how viruses spread and how different types of malware can find their way onto your computer. But, at the same time, you need to make sure your computer is entirely protected. Keep your anti-virus and anti-malware software up-to-date and don’t let it lapse. Scan your computer from time to time if you suspect that it’s been infected with spyware or some other type of malware. Be aware that some viruses and malware don’t have symptoms associated with infection and so may be impossible to detect without reputable scanning software.