One of the most common questions I get asked when I go to a clients home and clean malware off their computer is: How did I get this? Most people assume that there are just people on the internet looking for you, and trying to hack into your computer and put these malicious programs on your computer. While this is possible (albeit unlikely), almost every form of malware you will end up getting on your computer now requires some sort of user interaction (aside from things like tracking cookies which are relatively harmless). What does this mean to you? Basically, much more often then not, it is the user that is unknowingly installing the malware on their computer themselves! There are several things you should be wary of when using your internet or e-mail, and I wil list the most common ways that people end up getting malware on their PCs.
1. Avoid opening e-mail attachments from people you don’t know. This should go without saying, but there are definitely people that still do this. E-mails can contain self-running executable files which can have a field day with your computer if you actually run them. Fortunately most e-mail providers do not allow the .exe file extention to be sent, but there are exceptions and alternate self-installing file types.
2. Avoid installing Active X controls from untrusted sources. This is the one that I feel most people fall victim to, simply because a lot of times these can be legitimate. You have probably seen the bar below your address bar pop up on occasion, telling you that you need to install something to view this page properly. These are extensions for your internet browser that normally allow you to do just that; however in cases of illegitamate Active X controls you can be installing a peice of malware strait to your computer.
3. Avoid running/saving executable files from the internet. This should also go without saying, but I have found several people literally install these programs themselves or run them just to close the window when it pops up. If you are not actively searching for a specific file to be downloaded, chances are any window popping up asking to be run or saved to your computer is not something you want to be doing. Get in the habit of pressing the ‘x’ in the top right hand side of these windows to close them, rather then pressing the run/save/ok/cancel buttons.
4. Avoid unnecesary Facebook applications. If you have used Facebook, you have probably heard of these. They are installed much like Active X controls to your browser, so follow the same steps here as you would with Active X controls. While it may seem nice to have an app that posts smiley faces on your freinds wall, is it really necesary and worth the risk?
5. Avoid questionable websites. Yeah, the seedier the website you are going to, the more likely it is that is have little to no restrictions on what content can be placed on it. These sites are not picky with advertisers, simply because they need more cash to run, so they do not put limitations on what can be displayed in banner advertisements, or scripts that can be run on their site. Yes, that does mean you should probably not be browsing porn sites on your work computer.
If you have any questions, feel free to comment here, or if you managed to fall victim to a piece of malware despite my advice, give us a call at the office to get it cleaned up for you (281-0009)!
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