How To Avoid Spending Huge On Computer Repair Bills Done by Crippling Pop-ups, Viruses, Spyware, & Spam
As long as your computer has access to the internet, especially e-mails, then it may be only a matter of time before you fall victim to a malicious spyware program, virus, worm, or hacker. Every day we experience customers getting displeased about their computer problems due to these threats, and it is only getting worse.
What’s even more frustrating is that many of these computer users are back in my repair shop a few days or weeks later with the EXACT same problems and end up having to spend ANOTHER heavy fee for restoring their computer back to normal.
Just imagine having these kinds of difficulty with your restaurant. POS computers being infiltrated, damaged and completely destroyed by these ravaging viruses, worms and Trojans. You absolutely have no way of protecting your restaurant POS system if you do not take extra precautions.
Here are Three of The Most Dangerous Computer Threats You Must Be Aware Of
One of the deadly aspects of online threats is their ability to cloak their existence. Hackers and other programmers who code malicious spyware and malware programs really exert vast amount of effort just to create harmful programs that are difficult to identify and remove.
This can mean that malicious computer programs can directly be downloaded and work its dirty tricks on your system before you aware of its existence. Below are the two most common threats you’ll need to guard against with a brief explanation of what they {are|are and how you acquire them}:
Spyware: Spyware is a computer program often installed without the user’s knowledge. This program collects your info and your online activities and then reports it back to a third party. Sometimes advertisers uses this sneaky program to secretly monitor their customers’ activities. So Better becareful on what website you visit before clicking on that “download” button.
Most spywares are secretly attached to files you download over the internet, like free programs, music files, and screen savers. While thinking you are only downloading a legitimate program to add smileys to your e-mails, you are unknowingly also downloading a truck full of spyware programs.
Malware: Malware is short for malicious software and represents all programs, viruses, Trojans, and worms that have malicious intent to infiltrate or disrupt a system. A malware is designed to be used for malicious intent and it’s harder to remove and will fight back when if clean it from your system. In some extreme cases, we had to wipe out the hard disk and start with a complete re-install of the operating system. Frequently, malware is also designed to send itself from your e-mail account to all the friends and colleagues in your address book without your knowledge or consent.
Hackers: Programmers who find breaking in to their friends or coworkers’ computer is fun, but causes no damage, they love the challenge of being able to infiltrate a computer system and brag about it. Today these hackers mostly love to design spyware and malware programs that attacks computer systems causing extreme damage.
So if you’re a restaurant or any other retail establishment owner, having no kind of security for your POS systems at all, then your system is surely one of the easiest targets.
Some of them may have criminal intent and use these programs to steal money from unsuspecting individuals and companies. Some have a grudge against your software vendor and seek to harm them by attacking their customers. Others does it purely for fun. Whatever the reason, these twisted programmers are getting more intelligent and sophisticated in their ability to access computer systems and networks.
Here Four Simple Steps You Can Take To Secure Your Computer From Malicious Attacks
1. Never forget to keep your antivirus software updated at all times. You ought to make sure it it auto scan and update feature that will make sure your computer is running the most current protection available and regularly scanning for threats.
2. Consider using an alternative web browser to Internet Explorer such as Firefox browser. Hackers have ways ways to access and easily download malicious programs to your computer via a security hole in IE. What’s more disappointing about this is that even if you do not click anything and/or download a program to get infected. You are very susceptible to attacks if you’re using an older version of Windows such as Windows 98.
Mozilla Firefox is a completely free web browser that does not have the same security problems as IE. A growing number of our clients saying that they like their Mozilla Firefox browser better than MS Internet Explorer. Shifting from IE to Mozilla is a simple and cost-free way to add another layer of security to your computer. To download this free browser, go to www.mozilla.org.
3. [Never. Because most viruses are distributed through e-mails you receive from anonymous accounts, and even from your friends. If it looks suspicious, don’t open it, delete it immediately!
4. Using s firewall. A firewall is a computer program that acts as a security barrier, protecting files and programs on one network from users on another network. Many users will get a DSL or cable Internet connection and plug it without a firewall.
The one thing you have to remember about the Internet is that it is a big open field. You have access to the world, but on the other side, the world has access to YOU. Hackers have programs that automatically scan the Internet for computers connected via a cable or DSL connection without a firewall. Once they find one, they access your computer, download vicious programs, and may even use YOUR computer to send viruses to your friends and other computers, all without your knowledge or consent.
It only takes one click of a mouse to gain easy access to your restaurant POS system, collect all customer and employee information, destroy your computer system, and sends out infected emails to your customers and friends using your email account! It will surely be the end of your hard work, a huge waste of money on the restaurant POS solutions you’ve bought, and possibly the downfall of your business if you let this things happen to you.
The author Michael Tash is the Vice President of Customer Relations at POS-For-Restaurants. With over 20 years of restaurant experience, POS-For-Restaurants.com helps you use your technology to be more efficient and more profitable.
