With the incredible changes in new technologies over the past decade, which have changed the way we live dramatically, it is hard to believe that the personal computer has only been around for the last thirty years.
Today, we have computers that connect to a world wide internet, offering us a vast array of multimedia and just about anything we could have ever dreamed of using a computer for, has now become a reality.
Along With all these wonderful advances in technology and greater access to information and knowledge, has come a problem that has plagued the computer industry almost from the beginning, and that is the problem of how we can maintain our computer security and online privacy.
Hackers may have started off with an "us against the machine" type of mentality and acted as a form of protest, but this is no longer the case. Most hackers now only want to wreak havok on unsuspecting computer users. Their primary purpose is to steal or destroy data.
A common way of obtaining personal information, which lures a user into giving away their data to hackers, is called phising, but there are also many other ways that our private data can be stolen. Financial gain is the most common motive, but some hackers simply want to destroy or delete computer data just for kicks. Others attempt to burrow into a computer system without the computer owner's knowledge, so they can use it for more hacking or spamming or even sending out viruses.
So, with all these dangers about, users really need to find out how to protect themselves from hackers and their viruses, trojans and spyware - and now also phishing to steal private information. There are two basic software applications that everyone should have on their computer to protect their data and their computer from harm. These are a Firewall and an AntiVirus program.
The most important one of these to have on your computer is the Firewall. This is named after the piece of fire retardant material placed between a car engine and the passenger area, which is designed to protect the occupants in the event of a fire in the engine bay. A properly set up, good Firewall will protect the computer from the nasties on the internet in the same way.
The AntiVirus software is also essential in stopping Viruses and Trojans in their tracks. Most AntiVirus programs are managed by professional companies that specifically devote all their time and effort to protecting users from viruses.
We can all do other things to stop ourselves from becoming the target of hackers, and the main way is by being aware and vigilant. We need to be careful about the emails we open and watch the kinds of websites we visit. Hackers are very clever people, who will prey on the fear we all have of losing our data, by offering their own brand of virus protection software, which contains viruses or is damaging.
The best way to beat these counterfeits is to spend some time doing some research. We need to be talking to the local computer store owner for some good advice and we need to be keeping up to date with the latest virus news online. If we know what the hacker's latest tricks are, then we have a much better chance of beating them.
About the Author:
About the author: Sam Johnson can help you to learn more about computer security. Get free tips and advice on all aspects of computer security visit TimeSaverGuides.com.
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