Library Tech Desk

As a matter of responsible computing in our digital society, every computer user should have some type of antivirus software to keep their computer, tablet, or mobile device in working order. There are both paid and free options available to users for all computing platforms, so not having an antivirus package protecting your device should not be an issue. When it comes to dealing with the security of your device, and by extension, your data and privacy, a user should research and choose the most sensible solution according to the user's budget and level of security desired. Below are some tips to keep yourself safe while using the internet:

• Do not download attachments from your email or websites that you do not recognize. Even if it looks legitimate, download the software from the publisher's website and only if the software is essential.
• Avoid websites that promise free brand name software (Adobe, Microsoft, etc.). These sites install 3rd party add-ons, cookies and software that slows your device down and steals data from your device.
• If you become infected, disconnect your computer from the internet, find a computer that is clean and download a computer cleaner or run your antivirus program. If your antivirus program picks up the infection, you will notice a slow down of your device, this is due to your antivirus cleaning the infection from your device. Once that is done, update your antivirus software and don't visit that site again.
• Do not uninstall or remove files or software from your device that you don't know the purpose of. If something is installed or running that you don't recognize, look it up on Google to see if it was installed with your device originally or part of an update. If it has been identified as malicious software, clean it from your device immediately.     
• If you get an email asking for you to reset your password for any service or website you subscribe to, always check to see that the link starts with https://. Also check that it comes from the originating organization. One way to check, is to click on the address bar. If you don't recognize the address, report it to the organization by forwarding the email to them, then mark it as spam so that your email provider can track it.      

Most modern browsers are secure and even offer privacy mode so that other people that have access to yor device can't see what pages you looked at on the internet. A majority of information breaches come from phishing (making a malicious site look like a legitimate one to gain and steal information), or installing 3rd party extensions. Below are some tips to help users be mindful of what to look for when dealing with attempted information breaches and how to spot breach of information attempts.

• If you receive an email from anyone that says you need to reset your password for any service you use and the email provides a link to reset your account password, and you did not initiate that change, chances are that it is a phishing attempt. Report the phishing attempt to the service and change your password immediately.
• Do not install 3rd party add-ins to your browser(s), unless you trust the publisher.
• If you happen to inadvertently install a browser extension, you can go to your browser's add-on manager and remove the add-on.