Antivirus Blog

There are many different problems that may cause your computer to slow down, but you can sum it up into two categories: software or hardware. The computer hardware is the tangible parts, like the motherboard, RAM, or CPU. Computer software is all the installed applications or programs in your computer. Software includes programs such as Photoshop, Microsoft Word, or even games. If your computer is running slow, here is a list of things to check.

• Hard drive running out of space
• Startup programs
• Internal dust causing overheating
• Virus scan or spy ware scan
• Corrupt files
• Fragmented hard drive

You should make sure there is plenty of room left on your hard drive. If it is running low on space you can either get an upgrade or delete old files or unused programs. It would also be helpful to erase all your temporary files as well as cookies.

The most common occurrence for computer slow down is forgotten or unnecessary applications constantly running in the background. It is very likely that when you get a new program or application it automatically adjusts its settings to run every time you start your computer. Open up the task manager and see what applications you have running. If you find anything that sounds unfamiliar or that you would just prefer not to have running, you should go to the add or remove programs manager in the control panel and remove them.

An overheating computer can greatly slow down its processing. Your computer should be ventilated to allow air to flow through and keep it from over heating. This is helpful but also problematic since it brings dust into your computer which can greatly add up over time. You should occasionally open up the case of the PC and blow any dust out.

If pop-up windows are constantly bombarding your screen, even when you’re not using your computer, that can be a big factor in the lack of speed of your computer. Pop-ups are usually caused by spyware or a virus that has infected your computer. The solution to this problem is purchasing an anti virus program and have it running at all times.

Although it doesn’t matter which anti virus program you use, it is important to make sure it is always up to date. Regular scans of your system can be scheduled to be performed automatically, or you can initiate them manually.

A corrupt file can also seriously slow down your computer and can even keep it from working properly or booting up at all. The solution to this is running the scan disk utility.

Fragmented files are files or documents that may have not been stored in the most efficient way and will make it hard for your computer to open them. To take care of your fragmented files, click on Start, then programs, then go to accessories > system tools > disc defragmenter. Defragment all of the given drives. Defragmentation may take a while to complete, but the possible resulting increase in speed makes it very worth while.

Although there are several benefits of having antivirus software installed on your computer, you should never assume that you are 100% protected simply because youíre running an antivirus program. There are many instances where antivirus software alone cannot protect you.

Behavior Blocking
The process of technology blocking malware from accessing certain parts of your operating system is known as behavior blocking. Due to the fact that all antivirus applications function by detecting, cleaning, and preventing infections using virus definitions that are signatures of known threats, they have to be updated in order for you to be protected against new threats. A good example of behavior blocking is in an instance where the technology is used to prevent a virus from sending infected emails to everyone in your address book by blocking access to your address book. Another example is when behavior blocking prevents a virus from being able to terminate any of your systems key processes.

In-Memory Threats
Most types of viruses infect a file, and then the associated viral code runs whenever the application is running. Antivirus scanners scan all the files and folders on your system looking for such an infection. Certain types of infections, such as the W32 Slammer, infect an application as it is running and are never actually written to disk. Since antivirus scanners work by looking for infections in files as opposed to application memory, these types of infections go undetected. If an in-memory security exploit is known to exist in any application, it should be disabled or corrected as soon as possible.

Hackers
Hackers are a very real threat for anyone that has a computer connected to the internet. Basic antivirus software does not provide protection specifically against hacker attacks. In order to best protect your computer from hackers, you’ll need firewalls, intrusion alert systems, and general awareness of what is going on with your system. Some major antivirus software developers offer total security suites that do provide protection against hackers and other online threats, as well as protection for your home or work network. While these types of software usually cost a bit more than traditional antivirus software, they are a wise investment, especially for people that regularly transfer personal information over the internet.

Spyware
Spyware is an often malicious although sometimes simply annoying type of application that records information about your habits on the computer. Spyware is usually designed for either criminal or commercial purposes. As it stands now, most antivirus programs do not scan for these types of applications. However, there are several spyware removal tools available online, and some are even free. Spyware can be very annoying and it can also use up valuable system resources that may result in reduced overall PC performance. Keep in mind, however, that sometimes spyware is bundled with software and is required to be left installed on your machine in order for you to continue using the software that it came with. Information about such spyware can usually be found in the terms of service you must agree to before installing the software that it was bundled with.

The enhanced technology of the internet has brought with it several new conveniences. Nowadays, people can shop online, get in touch with old friends, pay bills, and more. However, criminals have been evolving right along the side the internet, constantly engineering new ways to try to rip people off. Obviously this poses a risk to people that shop or transfer personal information online - especially those that use the internet to do their banking. If you don’t know how to protect yourself, you may be putting your money and credit in serious jeopardy by doing your banking online. So how do you avoid getting robbed in cyberspace?

Protect Your Password
Your online banking password is the key to your bank account. Therefore, crooks spend a great deal of time coming up with clever new ways to get that very piece of information from you. To prevent anyone from guessing your password, it is highly recommended that you use a random combination of letters and numbers. If your online banking platform supports case-sensitive passwords, it also helps to include a capital letter or two. The longer your password is, the better (although there are usually limits). To further protect your password, you should change it periodically.

Do Not Open Suspicious Emails
‘Phishing’ is the practice of tricking the consumer into revealing personal information (such as passwords, account numbers, PINs, etc) by posing as legitimate companies that claim to need the information. These emails may contain the logo of the company they are claiming to represent, but do not be mislead. No legitimate banking institution will ever email you asking for your personal information. If you have an account with them, they already have that information. These emails usually contain a link to a site that is designed to look identical to the institution they are impersonating. If you were to enter your banking information on this fake site, it would be immediately relayed to the criminals. If you’re ever unsure about a website, check the address bar to make sure that the URL of the website matches the official site of the company.

The most obvious indications that such an email is fraudulent and should be discarded are failed attempts at correctly addressing you by name, grammatical errors, or links within the email directing you to domains that you have never heard of. If anything about the format of the email deviates from how emails from your financial institutions usually look, then you should be suspicious. If you are still uncertain of whether or not an email is authentic or if it is fraudulent, contact your banking institution’s customer service to have them verify.

AntiVirus Software and Firewalls

It is imperative that your computer is protected with a high quality antivirus utility. There are tons of antivirus review sites online that can help you make an informed decision as to which antivirus software is best for you.
Communicate with your Bank
Don’t hesitate to contact your financial institution at the first sign of trouble. They deal with identity theft and fraudulent activity all the time and they will be able to advise you in your particular situation. If you accidentally submit your information to a fraudulent website, contact them right away and let them know about it. This will help minimize or even prevent trouble from occurring. Keep your contact information up to date with your bank so that they can get in touch with you quickly if they see any suspicious activity in your account.