Even if you are really careful with your privacy settings, you can still be the victim of cyber attacks that aim to steal your login or personal data, or damage your computer.
The most common risks are from malware like viruses, keyloggers and spyware.
| Viruses | These are usually small programs that can cause harm to your computer. They can come from attachments in emails, they can be hidden in other ‘legitimate’ software, or they can be placed deliberately onto a computer. |
| Keyloggers | These are a type of malware (damaging software) that record which applications you are using, and what you are typing. This information is then sent to the creator of the keylogger. |
| Spyware | This type of software collects information on the users and settings on a computer so that it can take advantage of the users or system. |
Which simple steps can you take to protect your devices?
- Install a well known antivirus like McAfee or Avast and regularly scan your device to detect and remove the risks.
- Turn on the password features and use a strong password (eg, a mix of upper/lowercase letters and numbers).
- Change your password regularly and don’t keep it in a place that is easy to find (eg, don’t save it on your phone or PC in a file named ‘Password’).
- Don’t use the same password for everything.
- With mobile devices, turn off Bluetooth unless you need it to be on.
- Don’t connect to any network you aren’t sure you can trust.
- Regularly back up your device, and keep the backup separate to it. You should keep a copy of your files and photos on an external hard drive or on the cloud (see step Tip of the week: collaborative tools for a suggestion of which collaborative spaces can be used for backup). All storage solutions have pros and cons, and you should look at these in more detail before you decide where and how to back up your data. Apple products have a ‘time machine’ to automate the backup of your files and operating system.
- For a mobile device, activate the location feature to track it if it is stolen.
It’s important to note that this applies to any device, not just a PC; your phone, tablet, smart TV, or any other device that can have software installed on it can be attacked.
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