Yesterday I sat in on a Bitdefender seminar in Sydney where it was reported that according to AV-Test.org (The independent IT Security institute) in 2009 there were approximately 32,000 unique malware programs registered globally every day, which is huge, but nothing compared to the 400,000 unique malware programs being registered every day in 2015.
One thing is clear, Malware infections are growing at an unprecedented rate.
Malware infections are easy to contract, can be difficult to shake off, and the damage they can cause in terms of data-loss, fraud and lost productivity cannot be understated. So whether you’re a business or domestic user it is key that you invest in a best-in-class security suite, and ensure it is properly configured, to keep you safe.
With the above in mind, here are ten tips to help keep you safe on-line
01 Best-In-Class Internet Security: The reality is that a basic anti-virus solution is not enough these days to keep you safe. Too many people are blasé about their on-line security and despite an increasing number of horror stories where businesses have been sent to the wall, or families have lost all their treasured memories to a ransomware attack people still put their faith in Free solutions or, worse still, opt to go commando and run without any protection at all. This is the equivalent of leaving the doors and windows unlocked on your house or car, with all your valuables on display, and trusting that nothing bad will happen.
TIP Ensure you use best-in-class Internet Security, that it is properly configured, and that it is updated regularly.
02 Backup your data: It never ceases to amaze me how few people bother to take a backup of their important data, naively trusting that their computer will never fail, never become infected or in the worst case scenario be stolen out from under them.
Let me give you a couple of facts: Hard Disks Fail (more often that you would think) and, if possible, data recovery can cost anywhere from a couple of hundred to several thousand dollars. The risk of Malware infection is at epidemic proportions, and even if you’re located in a low crime area burglaries do happen.
TIP Windows 7, 8 and 10 all come with in-built backup capabilities which are sufficient for most domestic customers and some small businesses - Find out how to set up a backup in Windows 7 or 8
03 No Admittance: Most people when they buy a PC, just setup an account and start using that for their day-to-day account. The challenge is that the first account you setup is an administrative account which pretty much gives you the keys to the kingdom and if you pick-up a Malware infection you could easily be giving a 3rd party free access to your PC.
TIP To be safe, it is good practice to establish an Administrative account with a strong password, but then setup standard user accounts for your day-to-day activities. The only real down-side to this, which is also the up-side, is that if you want to install a new application, or make configuration changes to your computer you need to enter the administrative password before you can do so; but that also helps to intercept suspicious activities and keep you safe.
04 Keep IT Shut: Email attachment and links, whilst no longer the primary delivery method for Malware, still present a significant risk.
Just because an Email appears to have come from one of your friends, does not mean it did. Email Spoofing, is the act of forging an Email header so that the message appears to have originated from one source, when it in fact came from another. This is a common practice amongst spammers, and a perfect delivery mechanism for morally bankrupt individuals, to trick people into unwittingly clicking bad links or opening dangerous files.
TIP Never click on links in Emails, and do not open any Email attachments without performing a contextual scan or ensuring that your anti-virus is triggered to run on access.
05 Handle with Care: Downloading applications and documents from the web are common practice, and can be a common cause of malware infection. Most people are, by nature, trusting however on the internet you need to be cautious and tread carefully.
TIP Only download applications and documents from trusted websites i.e. if you want to download a particular program, go to the manufacturer’s website or a trusted re-seller, and not some dodgy file-sharing service. Also, run a quick contextual scan on the file before you open or try to install it.
06 Stay safe with a Site Advisor: Most Internet Security suites come with an integrated Site Advisor which adds an indicator to websites in search results to help steer you away from bad websites; including phishing sites, sites with compromised security, and / or sites that may contain Malware.
TIP Site Advisors are a valuable tool to help keep you away from known bad sites but they’re not infallible and only work if you follow the guidelines, typically: a Green indicator means it should be OK, Amber = Proceed with Caution and Red=Run for the hills. If a site shows without an indicator, or as unclassified then we recommend avoiding it until the site has been classified.
07 Careful where you click: The internet, like TV, has become overrun with Adverts. It is rare to come across a website with no advertisements these days and whilst many are harmless, many more are not. At the very least adverts are distracting from the content you’re trying to view but increasingly they’re being used as a distribution channel for Malware. In fact one annoying form of Malware is Adware where your PC literally becomes overrun with irritating popups.
TIP We recommend that you make use of an Ad Blocker to reduce the number of adverts and popups on pages, and in turn reduce the risk of clicking an infected link.
08 No Flashing: So look Flash (as in Flash Gordon) may have been a hero in that rock-tastic Queen anthem back in the 80’s, but the Flash Player that is still leveraged today for delivering some media content on-line is a totally different beast, and much maligned piece of software that continues to be a major risk when it comes to security. Recently Mozilla, recognising the threat, took the unprecedented step to block Flash media in the current version of their Firefox browser.
TIP If you’re running Chrome, Internet Explorer, Safari or an older version of Firefox, you can / and should disable the Flash media player. You might miss a few annoying videos that you didn’t want to see anyway, but it will go a long way to keeping you safe.
09 Online Payments: Before you sign-in to internet banking, or make payments on-line, ensure that the site is secure.
TIP Check the website address bar and ensure that the site is prefixed https:// and not http:// and even if the website is flagged as an https:// site you should click on the little padlock in the address bar to ensure that the security certificate is OK and that the connection is encrypted.
10 Watch out for portable content: Outside of the internet, the other major risk to the security of your PC comes in the form of external media such as: CD’s, DVD’s, USB Keys and external Hard Disks.
TIP Ensure that you disable auto-run on CD / DVD drives. As a general rule do not attach any external storage devices to your PC unless you know where they came from (i.e. it is yours). Even then, ensure that your anti-virus is set to scan the contents of external USB drives and CD / DVD’s before you open any files.
Things to remember about on-line safety
So let's get a couple of things straight:
- Your bank will NEVER email you and ask you to click on a link and provide your bank details.
- Pop-up Adverts telling you that: you've won an iPad (holiday, money, or some other desirable object), or that your PC has problems are a scam. DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES CLICK THESE LINKS, and certainly do not provide these people with your credit card details or any other Personally Identifiable Information (PII) such as name, address, Date of Birth.
- Remember, not all Malware presents as irritating flashing adverts. The really bad stuff is what lurks beneath and unseen, such as key-loggers which attempt to capture your passwords.
Final Words
If you have, or suspect you have, a Malware infection, or if you’re using a computer on-line with no internet security it is really important that you do not carry out: internet banking, make on-line purchases using your credit card (or PayPal), or log in to any systems that might contain personally identifiable information using that computer; and remember if you have any concerns about Internet Security, Contact Excalibur IT - we can help.
If you have made on-line payments, on a Malware infected computer, then you need to contact your financial institution and make arrangements ASAP to change your passwords. Also keep an eye on your credit card statements for any fraudulent transactions over coming months. Your bank may also re-issue your credit card to head off any fraudulent transactions.
These ten tips are by no means an exhaustive list, but will go a long way to minimise the risk of contracting a Malware infection and help keep you safe on-line. Don't forget to LIKE and SHARE this article.