The security of our computer is of utmost importance. Everyone who owns a computer would agree that our computers need to be more protected.

There are billions of people using the internet now, and this simply means that there is much room for hackers or identity thieves to cause harm and wreak havoc. Both big corporations and family computers are vulnerable to cyber-attacks.

Here are some ways to improve and maximize our computer security:

1. Install and Use Anti-Virus Software

So powerful and sophisticated are malware these days that it is now possible hack into a computer using DNA strands, especially through open-source DNA processing programs.

Installing anti-virus software is one of the most important ways to maximize computer security. There are many types of anti-virus and anti-spyware software available in the market today. Anti-virus software is capable of detecting the possible presence of malware in the computer. Other basic functions that anti-virus software perform are scanning specific files or directories for any known malicious patterns, allowing the user to schedule scans or initiate scans of a specific file, removing any malicious code detected, and showing how ‘healthy’ the computer is. Many anti-virus software also have spam blockers and anti-spyware.

2. Use Pop-up Blockers

Pop-ups are some of the most annoying and invasive advertising methods out there. If you ask just about anyone, not one person appreciates pop-ups. Pop-up ads are ads that come in various shapes and sizes, and they usually display information in a new browser window which is much smaller than the screen. Due to the increasing number of irritating pop-up ads, many browsers have built-in options to disable pop-up displays. However, some pop-up ads still get through the best browsers.

This is the reason why computer owners need to use pop-up blocker. A powerful pop-up blocker for chrome is able to remove all unwanted ad pop ups. They even get rid of pop-unders, and overlays. A pop-under is a variant of the pop-up ad. It usually opens a new browser window under the active window. Many people say that the pop-under, though not as annoying as pop-ups, is a sneakier version of the pop-up ad because they only make their presence known when the current window has been closed. Not to be confused with pop-ups, overlays or floater ads often overlay the content of the page instead of creating new browsers. There are other irritating ad placement techniques that advertisers use such as roadblocks and auto-playing audio or video ads. There are reputable pop-up blockers for chrome that guarantee a pop-up free browsing experience.

3. Have data backup

Business and personal computers need to back-up data regularly. Small businesses even have secure off-site back-ups. Sometimes, even the most protected computers have security breaches, especially when a particularly malicious virus infects the system. It is a good idea to safeguard data through frequent data back-up.

4. Follow the most basic security practices

Sometimes, people take the most basic security practices for granted. In fact, these practices are actually very important in protecting the home or office computer. Here are some of the things that people should constantly be vigilant with:

• Create strong passwords. Passwords are a simple and quick way to instantly increase computer security. When creating passwords, use a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, one symbol, and one number. Also, do not ignore notifications for changing passwords every so often. Changing passwords regularly is one way of protecting important personal data such as online banking and email addresses.

  

• Be cautious of unfamiliar embedded links and email attachments. Unfamiliar attachments or links could contain malware. They should not be opened until they have been confirmed safe.
• Enable two-factor email authentication.