Computer security

If your device becomes infected with some form of malware, there are some tasks you should undertake to restore your device to a safe working state.

Removal of malware

The first stage to recovering from an infection is to remove the malware from your device. This can be achieved using specialised software which many of the industry leading anti-malware companies offer as a free solution. A few pieces of software that you could use on your device are Kaspersky Anti-Virus, Avast Anti-Virus or Malwarebytes for example.

Change your passwords

If your device has been compromised with malware, any stored credentials could have been captured by the malicious software. After removing the malware infection, you should consider changing the passwords for all your accounts. These changes could be made easier through the use of a password manager, an application that will store passwords securely for you using a master password (which then becomes the key to unlock your online kingdom).

Future protection

  • Add-ons to web browsers that can block potentially malicious adverts can be extremely useful, an example being Adblocker.
  • Two-factor authentication involves having to enter something you know such as a password and something you have, such as a one time token delivered either to your phone or generated by a card reader. Without these two pieces of knowledge, access will not granted.

The use of these technologies will protect you by reducing the risk of malicious pop-ups, and provide an extra layer of protection in gaining access to online services.