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.

How to Tell if Your Computer Has a Virus

There are several ways that your computer can become infected with a virus. It can happen while you’re browsing the internet, downloading an email attachment, accessing a different computer through a network, or when you’re plugging in a flash drive that was previously plugged into an infected device.

And while it’s easy for a computer to become infected with a virus, it’s not as easy to identify the virus symptoms. Especially when you take into consideration that the best or worst viruses (depending on how you look at it), will infect your computer without being detected.

For your convenience we have put together a list of the most common most common virus symptoms:

  • Your computer is suddenly running slower than usual.
  • Your computers frequently freezing or stops responding.
  • Your computer is restarting and crashing constantly.
  • Your computer isn’t running normally and starts on its own.
  • Your applications aren’t working correctly, especially your web browser.
  • You aren’t able to access your hard drive or additional disk drives.
  • You are seeing unusual error messages.
  • Your antivirus software is turned off and not by you.
  • You are seeing pop-ups and dialog boxes everywhere.
  • Your hard drive and modem are working extra.
  • Your computer starts preforming actions on its own.
  • You aren’t able to print correctly.

If you believe that your computer has been infected with a virus, or if you’ve noticed one or more of the above symptoms on your computer, disconnect it from the internet or your local network right away. You can do so by unplugging your network cable or turning off the wireless connection. By preforming the actions above, you can stop your computer from spreading the virus to your family, friends and co-workers.

If you need a virus removed from your computer or would like to have an antivirus downloaded and installed into your computer, contact Up & Running Computer Solutions in Corona, CA at 951-737-8558 today. Or visit www.urcs.net for information regarding our technical services.

Up & Running Computer Solutions proudly serves Corona, Riverside, Anaheim, Irvine, Newport Beach, Tustin and all surrounding areas.