Keep Yourself Secure from Hackers | Corona, CA

Data Breach

During this election season, you hear all about other countries hacking our elections and trying to rig it every which way. It has all of us on edge, because even our social media accounts can get compromised. Since October 2004, the National Cyber Security Division within the Department of Homeland Security and the National Security Alliance has sponsored National Cyber Security Awareness Month.

National Cyber Security Awareness Month is focused on encouraging individuals to be cautious and to use protection while accessing the internet. Let’s face it – the internet impacts our lives on a daily basis. We use the internet to connect with family and friends, to handle business and banking online and rely on it for many other services, like electricity and even transportation, which are supported by online systems. Technology has prompted advancements in life as we know it.

And while technology does help our lives, it also makes us more vulnerable to risks of theft, fraud and abuse. No one is immune to cyber risks at this point. As individuals, cybersecurity risks can threaten our identities, finances and privacy. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to keep yourself, your assets and personal information safe online:

  • Create strong passwords and do not share them with anyone.
  • Keep operating system, browser and other critical software’s up to date by installing updates.
  • Raise awareness by talking openly with your family, friends and community about internet safety.
  • Limit the amount of personal information you share online and use privacy setting to avoid sharing information widely
  • Be very cautious about what you receive or read online.

Call Up & Running Computer Solutions in Corona, CA for help with your computer issues at 951-737-8558. Learn more at our website at www.urcs.net.

Up & Running Computer Solutions proudly serves Corona and all surrounding areas.

Staying Virus-Free | Corona, CA

Now that we have been quarantined to our homes, we are using the internet more than ever in order to keep ourselves entertained. Coronavirus has taken over our lives, but there is one more virus we need to keep in mind – the computer virus. Because we are going to be using the internet for things like searching for information, work, shopping, schoolwork and even banking, it is important that we prevent our computers vulnerable to hackers with the personal information held in there. Here are a few tips to lower your risk of contracting a virus:

Anti-virus software. Having an anti-virus program installed is a great benefit for your computer. The ant-virus programs scan for viruses that try to get into your emails, operating system or files. Make sure your anti-virus is set to update automatically for the most protection.

Install a firewall. Firewalls can help alert you of any suspicious activity, while also blocking viruses, hackers or worms from attempting to download malicious programs onto your computer. Some systems have a built-in firewall but are usually shipped in “off” mode, so be sure to turn your firewall on. Make sure to keep your firewall updated regularly.

Pop-up blocker. Avoid clicking on pop-up ads by using a pop-up blocker. Most pop-ups are created by advertisers, but they may contain a harmful or unsafe code.

Use spam filters. Emails can contain computer viruses, so before opening an email, make sure you’re receiving it from a known address or sender.

Strong passwords. Make sure to choose a strong password to protect yourself for potential hackers. Don’t choose something simple as your password; some hackers have a program that can try every single word in the dictionary.

Call Up & Running Computer Solutions in Corona, CA for help with your computer issues at 951-737-8558. Learn more at our website at www.urcs.net.

Up & Running Computer Solutions proudly serves Corona and all surrounding areas.

Is It Malware or a Virus? | Corona, CA

headache over computer problems

In a world where it seems everything is getting hacked, it is easy to panic when something goes wrong with your computer equipment. The slightest glitch or stall and we are thinking the worst. And when we think of the worst thing that can happen to this equipment, we will generally think about computer viruses. Yes, the evil computer virus is the original enemy of the typical computer user, and in this day and age, it is impossible to not use some type of computer in our daily lives.

Then you hear about malware and a whole new set of questions and concerns come to mind. Let’s break it down – a virus is just one kind of malware, but the actual term is largely used by the public and the only way to protect yourself is to have some type of an anti-virus. The following are various types of malware designed to infect your computer or mobile device:

Adware. Adware is the least dangerous and most profitable malware. It displays ads on your computer.

Spyware. This software spies on you by tracking your internet activity in order to send adware back to your machine.

Worms. A worm replicates itself and destroys data and files on your computer until the drive is completely empty.

Trojan horse. One of the most dangerous malwares, Trojans are designed to discover your financial information and take over your computer’s system resources.

Ransomware. If you see a screen that warns you that you have been locked out of your computer until you pay for your “cybercrimes”, you have ransomware.

Call Up & Running Computer Solutions in Corona, CA for help with malware protection at 951-737-8558. Learn more at our website at www.urcs.net.

Up & Running Computer Solutions proudly serve Corona and all surrounding areas.