This guide will inform you how protect your computers at home and at work from security threats. These threats are sometimes called viruses, spyware, malware, and adware. Viruses and Spyware pose a number of security threats including:
• Deleting or altering your files so they are corrupt or hiding a virus.
• Stealing your passwords or Tracking your movement on the internet
• Displaying annoying messages on your screen or making your computer not function
To protect yourself you should have at minimum some type of antivirus scanner on all the computers you own.
For more protection against the newest threats such as spyware and adware, there are many free programs out there to use. The best for detecting and removing spyware are:
- Windows Defender – You may already have this installed, if not you can download it here.
- Ad-Aware Personal Edition
- Spybot
You should only need one of the above programs in addition to Symantec or another Antivirus program to be safe. Always use a popup blocker and don't open emails from people you don't know or visit questionable sites to minimize contact with places where you may accidentaly download a threat. Keep the definitions updated on these programs, so you are protected from the newest threats. Also, do a scan regularly even if you don’t think you are infected, some threats show no signs of being there!
