Anti-virus and Firewalls
Privews chapter touched on malicious software (malware) – designed by third parties to cause you inconvenience and/or damage. Your device, be it a computer, tablet or smart phone would normally not include anti-malware features and it is let up to you, the owner of the device, to decide whether you wish to install such protection. There are many products labelled “Anti-virus” or “Internet Security” that monitor data in the computer and peripheral devices (USB flash memories, CDs and DVDs for example) to check that they do not include any known malware.
Many, but not all, devices include in their basic software some form of a firewall – smartphones do not always include one at the time of purchase. A firewall uses a set of rules (deined by their designer) to decide whether incoming or outgoing data traffic should be allowed. It is specifically designed to detect if someone else is trying to access your device.
Why is this an issue?
A computer infected with malware can infect the computers of other people with whom you exchange data, for example an e-mail attachment, infect other devices such as USB flash memories, smartphones, record and send data that should remain confidential such as logins and passwords to allow others to impersonate you and other undesirable things.
A device unprotected by some form of Anti-virus can be quickly compromised. The same is true without a firewall. Device owners should not underestimate the time and effort involved in cleaning an infected gadget and/or recovering any lost data.
What you should do about it
- Select and install reputable anti-virus and firewall tools
There is a wide choice of products (some are pre-installed) for all kind of devices. Some are available free-of-charge. Others require an initial payment and subsequent renewal fees. he supplier issues regular, updates to reflect the rapid evolution of malware. Use a search engine for independent reviews of such products.
- Ensure the selected tool is regularly, ideally automatically, updated
Each product has its specific process for being updated. This invariably requires a connection to the Internet. It is your responsibility to ensure that these updates take place.
- Regularly scan your device for possible malware and deal with it
Most quality software will automatically quarantine and remove any malicious software encountered.