Protecting Yourself From Infection

Using an internet connected computer or laptop without anti-virus or anti-malware protection is like walking through a bad part of town waving large wads of notes in the air and shouting "I'm really bad at fighting and don't run that fast either".  

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These days you don't need to spend a fortune making sure you are protected.  Now some of the best Anti-virus protection is available at very affordable prices.  But you don't have to spend a penny if you don't want to, many of these products are available free to non commercial customers.

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Already Infected - What Can I Do? 

Do not panic, a lot of malware is perfectly harmless and just annoying and can be cleared up within a couple of hours. Examples of these types are tracking cookies, unwanted toolbars and down-loaders.  Most people refer to these as PUP's or Potentially Unwanted Programs. The more dangerous threat comes in the form of Ransom-ware, Scare-ware and allowing remote access to your PC.

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Scare-ware

These are designed to trick the user into thinking they have a problem when they don't - normally resulting in the purchase of something to cure the no-existent problem.  Programs can be left on your PC to gather information.   Act Now and call us.

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Ransom-ware

This nasty little pest is the worst of the bunch.  This normally locks your PC or encrypts your files, demanding hundreds of pounds to unlock or decrypt.  If you have a backup then all is not lost.  Reformatting and recovering is the only option.

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Remote Access

This is becoming more frequent over the last 2 or 3 years with phone calls from people pretending to be from Microsoft.  Once they have remote access to your computer they download key loggers, change passwords and lock your computer so you cannot use it. Once again reformatting and recovering is the only safe and sure option.