Protect Your Computer

Online threats are becoming more and more sophisticated. Spammers use pop culture and recent events, like the election or the Olympics, to lure the viewer to click on links infested with malware and viruses. You must be very careful with links you click and sites you go to.

Here are some tips about how to protect your computer from such threats:

• Don't click on pop-up messages. Sometimes they say you need anti-virus software to protect your computer, but instead give you a virus.
• To counteract the scenario above, be sure you have a trusted anti-virus software already installed in your computer. You will have no need to click on the link.
• Be very careful when opening any email attachment. Try to find an email provider that scans the attachments before you open them.
• Be very careful with clicking on links in an email. A email from "PayPal" requiring you to sign in may indeed be a scammer trying to steal your PayPal account information. Be sure to login in on any website's official home page.
• Avoid emails from people you don't know or that have odd email addresses/messages.
• Regularly run spyware scans.
• Regularly up-date your software and patches.
• Routinely back-up your files onto an external hard drive or USB drive.
  

Brad Harmon is the President at a leading financing company, First Star Capital (http://www.firststarcapital.com). Brad is a frequent contributor to online publications and newsletters, and is the author of this blog on commercial financing topics.