Computers that have access to the internet are all vulnerable to threats, such as viruses, trojan horses, spyware, malware, rootkit hacks, browser exploits, data hijacks, and other attacks. Unscrupulous people design these attacks for any number of reasons, to make them money, provide inflated ratings to their website, and some do it just for the sake of vandalism. Most of these hackers are very smart. They are able to design these threats to confuse, or trick you into installing their exploits onto your computer. The only way of making sure that you don't get any of these malware applications is to have an air-gaped computer. An air-gaped computer is a machine that has never had access to the internet. For most of us, we like the privilege of being able to surf the internet, so the air-gaped computer is not a viable option.

There are several ways to keep the security your personal files, and the best approach may depend on the type of files you have and how you want to access them. Here are just a few tips that can help you protect your personal files:

Consider using encryption for your file system. Encryption can add an extra layer of protection and makes your files unreadable unless you posses the key or password. This will make it quite difficult for anyone to access your files without your permission.

For businesses and some personal users, a good option would be to have a computer that contains important business files that is not connected to the internet, and other machines that do have access to the internet that don't contain your important data. A good defense against these attacks is a good offense. Always make sure your important user data is reliably backed up. Another good idea is to employ an adequate antivirus program. Always keep that program updated so that the application knows what to look for. New threats get identified all the time and your antivirus program needs to constantly be updated to find these new threats. Other than an air-gaped computer, no one can say with 100 percent certainty that a computer is free of all threats. We can only say that we used the best antivirus application on our computer, that we have updated with the most recent set of definitions and we didn't find anything. Keep in mind that the program you use to combat these threats should also be set to scan your complete system on a regular schedule. Also note that all antivirus programs are not equal. Use antivirus software and Install reputable antivirus software on your devices to protect against malware and other security threats. There are many software solutions out there, do your research and decide which one is right for you. There are free options, but most have paid solutions that provide more protection in different ways. Please note that if one is good, two programs are not better! They may conflict with each other, and at the very least thay will pull down double of your computers precesous rescources.

Install an Antivirus and antimalware programs onto your system. Antivirus software is essential by detecting and helping to remove all sorts of malware and viruses from your computer. Make sure you update your antivirus program regularly to ensure that it can definately detect and remove the latest threats including ransomeware.

Avoid Downloading anything from suspicious websites. Be cautious when downloading any files from the internet. Only download from trusted websites and sources you know to be authentic.

Be cautious online to avoid downloading files or clicking on links from unknown sources, as these may contain malware that could compromise your device's security. Tricky hackers can make their website look exactly like the well known site you would like to see, so please make sure that the site you are looking at is the one that you are expecting to go to. To be sure the site is legit and secure, you will notice a lock icon to the left of the URL.

Be Careful of Suspicious Emails and Links. Do not open emails or click on links from unknown senders or emails that seem too good to be true. These emails may contain malicious links or attachments that can infect your computer. Avoid fishing scams that rely on our brains to be tricked rather than our computer software. Be sure you know what you are clicking and if it appears to be too good to be true, it probably is.

Always use a Firewall. A firewall helps to protect your computer by having it block unauthorized access to your network ip address. Make sure to enable the firewall on your computer and keep it up to date.

Keep Your Operating System and all Software titles on your computer system Up-to-Date. Make sure you keep your operating system and all important software up-to-date. Make sure the latest security patches and updates are installed on your computer. This helps to keep your computer safe by fixing any vulnerabilities that could be exploited by cybercriminals.

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- Happy Computering from The Computer Doctor!

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