Computers are tools to help us become more productive. Unfortunately, some evil computer programmers use computers for bad purposes and have created bits of code that hinder computer use and damage your personal property, clog network traffic or even lead to identity theft. They propagate little computer programs, often hidden or deceptively packaged, that are malware, viruses or trojans and commandeer our computers to do things that we otherwise would not do. Some of the bad things these programs can do include being used for spamming other sites, for breaking password protection, for denial of service attacks by flooding a victim server, or for capturing keystrokes on a user’s computer to steal their personal information and passwords. There are steps you can do to protect yourself, however, and we will provide you with some of these below.

Perhaps the most important thing you can do is to invest in software to detect these snippets of code. There are versions of software that both scan your computer and also versions that scan ongoing code in real-time. Both types of protection are recommended to protect yourself. You can also store checksums and have your computer alert you if a file is trying to change or infect one of your own files without permission. Most of these programs will scan all your files and store the checksum, being vigilant and alerting you to any attempts to change the files so that you can approve or disapprove as appropriate.
Another strategy is to use programs that scan for adware. Often, adware will try to steal personal information, and it is important to protect yourself against this. Be careful clicking on any ads, especially ads associated with dating sites or pornographic content. Ad clicking might install something or place a cookie on your computer that can later be used by nefarious users to access information about you, potentially leading to identity theft.

Do not accept files from unfamiliar sources. If you do not know or trust the website or individual that has sent you the file, then decline the transmission. Many people that propagate these files use “social engineering” to try to trick you into receiving it – perhaps saying the file is related to a charity, a friend (referring to a common name), or a free gift that you have won. Sometimes they even claim to be celebrities.

A final piece of advice is to be cautious with your email. Many of the evil computer users will use “phishing” techniques to try to get you to disclose your personal information or to click through to a site that may place an undesired program on your computer. Do not fall for attempts to get you to disclose your username and password to other sites. Also do not accept any files that end in EXE or COM extensions as they may execute themselves immediately with negative results. Good luck protecting yourself!