How do I protect my computer from malware?

Malware is malicious software that gets installed on your

computer. Malware programs:

• Gather information about your web browsing habits and pass the information on to advertisers.
• Cause severe damage to your system, such as pop-up advertisements, viruses or worms that compromise your computer system.
• Steal sensitive or personal information, including credit card numbers and banking information.

Adware

Adware is financially supported software (that is, paid ads). These programs

display advertising banners while the program is running. They commonly

contain code that tracks a user's personal information and passes it along to

third parties without the user's consent or knowledge.

Spyware

This type of software secretly gathers information about a person or an

organization and then passes information on to interested groups. The type of

information that can be gathered is browsing history, system information about

your computer (including your IP address) and saved documents.

Browser Hijacking

This type of program modifies or alters your browser settings. They can:

• Change your homepage.
• Install search bars.
• Create shortcuts on your desktop.
• Cause your computer to repeatedly display pop-up ads or new browser sessions.

Again, the basic two purposes of browser hijacking software are to collect

your browsing information which is then sent to a database or to generate

revenue by using your computer for nefarious purposes.

How to protect your computer from malware

In most cases, you can prevent malware from affecting your computer by making

sure you:

• Keep your operating system updated with the latest available security patches.
• Install antivirus software and keep it updated.
• Are cautious of what files or software you download.
• Are cautious of what plug-ins you install.
• Install and run Spybot Search & Destroy (S&D) or Malwarebytes on Windows computers and keep it updated.
• Disable unnecessary plugins such as Java.