Computer security misconceptions that can hurt you

Ignoring the simple rules of digital security promises you the loss of confidential data, money and a trip to a psychotherapist. This article is primarily aimed at PC users who are just starting to get involved in computer literacy. We will dispel some of the common myths about network security to keep you safe from potential harm.

Ignoring the simple rules of digital security promises you the loss of confidential data, money, and a trip to a psychotherapist. Savvy users know most of the methods for protecting personal information and do not harbor unnecessary illusions about computer security. This post is primarily aimed at PC users who are just starting to get involved in computer literacy. We will dispel some of the common myths about network security to keep you safe from potential harm.

The virus will not get into the computer if you do not download anything

Some PC users believe that a virus is a malign file with malicious code downloaded from an unscrupulous corner of the Internet. This judgment has not been relevant for the web for a decade. The range of threats is not limited only to the launch of an incomprehensible file with the bat or exe extension.

Computer worms, self-propagating malicious programs, find vulnerabilities in the operating system software and infect a victim computer without the user's participation or knowledge. In most cases, vulnerabilities are contained in software, but sometimes loopholes can be found in hardware firmware. For example, some routers may be susceptible to remote infection.

But that's not all. Even a trusted site with a large audience can be hacked by hackers. An infected web page may not do any harm for many years until attackers send an attack command.

The conclusion is simple. Use an antivirus solution for your computer, even if you don't download anything and only use trusted sites.

The computer works well. Why download it with an antivirus?

It is naive to perceive the stable operation of a computer for the absence of security problems. And the fact is that Hollywood has rooted in the minds of American movie lovers a belief in the ostentatious destructiveness of viruses. When infected, a terrible picture must pop up, and the task manager will immediately display an increased load on the processor.

In fact, things are a little different. While some viruses are really satisfying, most of them are still stealthy and cover their tracks as much as possible. The most sophisticated of these are viruses and Trojans that try to take over the user's personal information.

Indeed, the antivirus will consume some of your personal computer's resources. Usually this is a couple of hundred megabytes of RAM and a small part of the processor's power. For a more or less modern machine, these resources are absolutely insignificant.

So, having installed antivirus software, you can be sure that no malware tries to pass off the confident operation of your computer as the absence of security problems.

All antiviruses are the same

The market for antivirus solutions is rich and therefore saturated with offers. Many users find it difficult to navigate a wide selection, so they install any antivirus that comes to hand, consoling themselves with the thought of the identity of all solutions.

So where to choose? Holivar on this topic will never end. Someone operates with their own experience, someone is guided by their acquaintances, but it is better to rely on the test results of independent professionals. Although their comparison methods will certainly be criticized, it is still better than just words.

Without pretending to be the absolute truth, we present the statistics of the independent organization Av-test, which tests the capabilities of a large number of anti-virus packages.

Generally, the paid packages do a better job of detecting and removing threats than their free cousins. Test results can vary from year to year and vary on different operating systems. Therefore, you should regularly get acquainted with the opinion of professionals.

I'm not like others. I don't have Windows. I have nothing to fear

Apart from operating systems for tablets and smartphones, Windows still dominates the computer work systems market. Unsurprisingly, it is the Windows family that remains the main target for malware. But this does not mean at all that other operating systems are safe. In recent years, the increased share of Mac OS has led to an increase in the number of infected computers running this OS. Macs are not invulnerable, just for the time being, writing software for them had no economic benefit for cybercriminals. But what can we say about Apple products, if viruses are written even under Linux.

I'm 15 and I live with my mom. Who needs me?

Some users come up with a lot of reasons why they simply cannot fall under the crosshairs of evil programs. I don't buy anything online. I do not pay utility bills over the Internet. In general, I rarely sit at the computer.

The point is that all viruses are just programs. Like all programs, a virus does what it is programmed to do. No more, no less. If the malware steals entered usernames and passwords, it will do its job every time and on all sites. Will it be in the evening in VK or in the morning in the Internet bank. He does not care.

In general, antivirus is a necessary thing, whatever one may say. You should not wait for the moment when you suspect or know for sure about the presence of a virus on your computer. Better to anticipate the situation and install security software before problems occur.

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