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Nathanial Phelps
Professor Topping
COMG 153
October 23, 2020
How to Secure Computers from Viruses and Hackers
With the increase in the use of computers in everyday life it is more important to keep
your information and devices secure from outside threats. This has opened the way for more
technology-based attacks such as hacking, viruses, worms1 and trojans. It is important to learn
how to protect yourself from these attacks.
The most important part to keeping your information and devices safe is to make smart
decision will online. Don’t open emails from sources that you don’t recognize. Email is one the
most common ways for people to try and get your information. Phishing is a technique where an
email will appear to be from a reputable source but will commonly have a link to a website that
is not the real one. This is done in the attempt to get you to enter some personal information such
as your bank account info so that the sender of the email will be able to gain access to your
account. In order to prevent this, you can call the bank or other business to ensure that the email
is authentic[ CITATION Syd20 \l 1033 ].
To ensure that your information is secure make sure that you are using strong and secure
passwords. A strong password should consist of at least twelve characters and include numbers,
special characters, upper and lower-case letters. Each account should also have a different
password so that if one account is compromised the rest will remain secure. The use of common
words and personal information that is easily accessible should be avoided[ CITATION Int \l
1033 ]. The use of two-factor authentication can also greatly increase the security of your
1
A form of malware that can self-replicate and spread on its own.
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accounts. This works by requiring a code that is sent to either your email or phone number to
sign in along with your password. While this can be worked around with enough effort it will
likely detour many hackers from trying to access your account[ CITATION Syd20 \l 1033 ].
The next step should be securing your device from malwares such as viruses, worms and
trojans. The best way to avoid getting malware on your device is to ensure that any program that
you install on your computer is coming from a reputable source. Installing a virus protection
software and keeping it up to date can help catch viruses and other malware before it was a
chance to do damage to your device[ CITATION Syd20 \l 1033 ].
It is important to keep your information secure when there is an increase in the
information that is kept online. With these few steps the security of your online information and
devices can be greatly increased. These can help save you money that could be stolen in attacks
or from your device being wiped or damaged.
Works Cited
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Butler, S. (2020, June 24). How to Protect Your Computer from Hackers, Spyware and Viruses.
Retrieved from Online Tech Tips: https://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/how-
to-protect-your-computer-from-hackers-spyware-and-viruses/
Internet Safety: How to Protect Yourself Against Hackers. (n.d.). Retrieved from stats.mn.us:
https://www.ag.state.mn.us/consumer/publications/HowtoProtectYourselfAgainstHackers
.asp
