One of the programs I recommend all users to have installed on their computers is Malwarebytes. This program can be find at Malwarebytes.org. This program scans for PC for hidden malware code and programs and cleanes these issues from your computer. Please note there are two versions of this software, paid and free. The paid version runs in the background with full-time protection while the free version runs scans on demand only.
Cyber Awareness ChallenegeEvery member who accesses the U.S. Department of Defense network is required to take this training daily. It is very useful also at home as it gives a broad spectrum of the dangers and discusses what you can do to protect yourselves.
There are a few things that I encourage to your Windows PC. First, always ensure you keep your system up to date with any and all important updates. This can be run by running Windows Update. To find this in Windows 10, press the Start button on your keyboard or on your desktop. Next type "Check for Updates". Before you select this option verify you see two arrows in a circle pattern pointing to each other as Java is a program with a similar command. Select this option and select "Check for Updates." Let this run and if it finds any updates, install them and let the computer reboot if requested.
The second, program that should be ran every so often is Disk Cleanup. This is built into Windows since Windows 7. This program can be find by going to the start menu (like earlier) and looking for "Disk Cleanup" or "cleanmgr.exe". This program will scan for any files that can be safely removed from the harddrive. You have the option to select any and all files it finds and it is safe to remove these without any impact to your PC. Windows tends to store some files either because they haven't been removed or "just in case you might want it later." This program can clean up gigabytes of space quickly and effecively and possibly make your computer run faster with less clutter on your hard drive.
The next program is rarely talked about but very important. System File Checker. This program checks your operating system files for errors and fixes them if found. To run this program, you have to access the command prompt with administrative privledges. When going to the Start Menu and typing "command prompt", it is essential that you right-click with your mouse on this and left-click "Run as Administrator." Once this window is open, type the following prompt: sfc /scannow. Let this run and when it completes, it will let you know if it fixed any errors or not.
Keeping your PC clean is important as sometimes files get downloaded or opened by email that may have malicious code. It is important to keep your files clean and remove any unnessessary data on your pc. Going back to talking about my family last week. I got a call that the computer was starting to act up and getting slow. First thing I did was verify the PC was clean after an Anti-Virus Scan. This came back negative. I then installed Malwarebytes and let this run. Over 300 files found compromised. Many of these had to do with web broswer bars that were installed that were installing extra files and scanning everything the users were doing. After the removal of this software, we ran Disk Cleanup and removed some extra files that were no longer needed included everything from the Download Folder. Some updates were also not patched on the machine and these updates were downloaded and installed. Once this was completed the computer ran much faster than before the start of the inspection. Remember that everything you download from the internet isn't always good for you. Free does not always mean free of issues. Verify if the free thing you are downloading is from a reputable source.
1. U.S. Department of Defense Best Practices for Keeping Your Home Network Secure
2. Heimdal Security Cyber Security: for Beginners
3. Swansea Bid (UK) Top 10 Cyber Security Tips for Working at Home
4. Pure Insurance Cyber Security and Advanced Techniques to Safeguard Your Data