Computer Security Day 2020: Tips to Protect Your Computer and Laptops from Virus Attacks

A computer or laptop is a machine that accepts data as input, processes that data using programs and outputs the processed data as information. Computers can be connected together to form networks that allow connected computers to communicate with each other. In this world of computers & laptops everywhere plus an incredible technology, PCs & laptops are prone to viruses & malware that could harm your files and steal your personal data such as bank details, social security information and that's something that you would never want. The important route through which viruses attack your system is the Internet & its popular service - the Web. Computer Security Day 2019 Date: Significance And History Related to the Day Focused on Cyber Security.

There are several ways to protect, eradicate malware from your computers and no one method is enough to ensure that your PC or laptop is secure. More the layers of protection, the harder for hackers to hack your system. On Computer Security Day 2020, we list down several steps that you can take to protect your computer and laptops from virus attacks.

Install Firewall:

A firewall is a network security device that scans incoming, outgoing network traffic based on a set of security rules. The firewall is the first step to provide security to your PC and laptop. A firewall acts as a barrier between a trusted network & an untrusted network. You should always turn on the firewall permanently to save your PC or laptop. To Enable firewall click on 'Start' button > 'Control Panel' > 'Security' > 'Firewall' and turn it on.

Install Antivirus Software:

Another layer to protect your system is by installing antivirus software. This software safeguards the computer from any unauthorised code or software including viruses, keyloggers & trojans that could slow down the speed of the computer, delete important files & personal information. Antivirus software plays a key role in real-time protection & detecting threats. Some advanced antivirus software provides automatic updates that further helps to protect your system.

Use secure & complex passwords:

Using secure & complex passwords will make a lot of difference in not getting your PC hacked because complex passwords are difficult for hackers to find. So every time use a password that contains 8 letters that are upper, lower case, combined with numbers & special characters. Hackers use certain tools to break easy passwords in a few minutes, so if your password is not strong enough, your pc or laptop might get hacked easily.

Check security settings of the browser:

Browsers also have security & privacy settings that you should check & set to the level you wish. Recent browsers give you the facility to tell websites to not track your movements, thus increasing your privacy and security. In addition to this, there are other steps as well that you can take such as not clicking on suspicious links & installing an ad-blocker to protect your computer from virus attacks.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 30, 2020 08:00 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).