A Seat Belt For Your Computer

Online, like in life, the first rule is safety first
May 2010
by Robin Wark

You never know what is lurking just a click away. Cyberspace is loaded with viruses, spyware, adware, Trojans and other malware. These programs can hurt your PC or try to steal your private information to access your bank account or for identity theft.

ParetoLogic security analyst Jean Taggart explains that a good anti-virus program is like a seat belt. You never intend on getting in an accident, but you always wear it anyway. In the online world, it is hard not to be exposed to viruses, spyware or other kinds of malware. They are seemingly everywhere. According to recent studies, there was a 71 per cent increase in malware in 2009 compared to the preceding year.

Not only is malware out there, but it is looking to get into your PC anyway it can. These malicious programs can be delivered in such ways as via email, packaged with such things as browser add-ons, or in a drive-by downloads, which inject malware onto your machine when you visit a website. Recent research showed that, in the month of April, one in every 340 emails contained a virus. The same study showed that 10.9 per cent of all web-based malware in April was new.

Once on your computer, malware exploits any possible hole in your security. In a study, the top five vulnerabilities were all Internet Explorer or PDF software related.

Also, by installing a respected security solution, such as ParetoLogic Anti-Virus PLUS, you know that you are protected. One of the top scams – which is still growing – is scareware. Imagine working on your computer and getting a pop-up window that says you have viruses or malware on your PC. You are encouraged to click to download or purchase a program to get rid of it.

If you click, more malware is downloaded to your PC – and no anti-virus program. In many cases, a click will lead you to a page where you can pay for this supposed security solution. If you follow through, the thieves will have your money and your credit card number.

One Google study showed that 15 per cent of online malware is fake anti-virus products. The researchers examined 240 million web pages over 13 months (January 2009 to February 2010). About 11,000 domains distributed these programs. More than half of these scareware products were delivered through advertising. Often users click on an ad and then find out they are supposedly "infected with malware."

Anti-virus programs protect you in a couple of ways. They deeply scan your computer to find any traces of known malware. The thorough search is conducted using databases maintained by security professionals. These malware hunters seek out malicious programs online and study how to remove them from your machine. Good anti-virus programs include free, frequent, automatic updates that protect you against the latest threats.

If malware is found, the program removes it. The key to removal is taking everything with it. Sometimes viruses and other malware have associated folders and registry keys that also should be tossed out. If left in, these components can hurt your PC's performance.

Another way quality anti-malware software, such as ParetoLogic Anti-Virus PLUS, keeps you safe is through Active Protection. This technology runs in the background and detects if something is trying to download without your knowledge. It then blocks the attempted intruder and asks you whether to allow the download. Quality anti-virus products offer various levels of protection, such as Anti-Virus PLUS' Game Mode, so that you are not interrupted by notifications and your PC's performance is not compromised when running other software that demands resources.

In today's world, not using an anti-virus product is like walking in a downpour without an umbrella. You are going to get wet.

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