Data theft, file loss/corruption, system disruption, email/SMS spam, unauthorized popup ads and remote control. When your PC is infected by malware, these are some of the major risks you could be exposed to. Prevention is the best-case scenario. But no antivirus can guarantee 100 percent protection from malware. No antivirus can guarantee 100 percent protection from malware You must brace for instances when malware does seep through any defenses you may have. It’s vital that you know the telltale signs of malware infection. Whereas malware is designed to be as unnoticeable to the end user as possible, it is after all an alien and unwelcome application. Most times, you can pick up … [Read more...]
May 13, 2022 By Computer Techs
May 9, 2022 By Computer Techs
How to Browse Privately if You Don’t Want Relentless Advertisements
Have you ever looked at a product on an e-commerce website and noticed that, later, an advertisement appears for that same product on another website? This is the work of advertising ‘cookies’ and other tracking tools, which monitor your online browsing activities to present you with relevant, targeted advertisements. This can be a great thing. Targeted advertisements can help you to discover new products and makes the browsing experience feel more personalized. In line with this, 71% of consumers prefer ads to be targeted to their interests and shopping habits, and 3 out of 4 consumers prefer fewer, but more personalized ads. However, while some … [Read more...]
April 25, 2022 By Computer Techs
Avoid Online Surveys If You Don’t Want to Be Profiled
The next time you’re browsing on your computer, and you see a quiz on Facebook or another social media site that looks appealing, think before you click. With the political season back upon us, you need to be aware of how the data you share in these quizzes might be used. You might not think that a quiz about your favorite foods or personality type will be beneficial to political parties but, these days, you never know. Any data you share could ultimately be used for political profiling. What is political profiling? Profiling is a method of analyzing individuals’ data to classify them into groups or sectors. Political parties have used profiling techniques for decades, … [Read more...]
April 11, 2022 By Computer Techs
What Is a QR Code Used For?
Updated 5/6/24: QR is an acronym for quick response – which makes sense as QR codes respond very quickly to requests to use them. Essentially, a QR code is a square-shaped barcode that you can scan with your smartphone to load a website, application or setting. It's quick and saves time vs. typing a long web address, searching for an app or setting, or typing a long password. QR codes can also be used to load phone numbers, passwordless login pages, and Wi-Fi details. In a restaurant your server may ask you to use scan a QR code to load the menu on your smartphone instead of receiving a physical menu. In supermarkets QR codes are used to give you more information about a product or … [Read more...]
March 30, 2022 By Computer Techs
An Antivirus Will Not Protect You from User Error
It would be pretty great if antivirus protected us from all the online security threats out there. Unfortunately, though, this isn’t the case. Often, customers come to us asking if they should purchase a third-party antivirus software rather than use the basic one that comes with their operating system. Our answer to this question always tends to be: stick to the antivirus that comes with your computer. Let’s take a look at why below. What antivirus can and can’t do Antivirus software works by scanning your devices, applications and files for traces of viruses or malware. Viruses are a type of malicious computer program designed to alter how your computer … [Read more...]
March 28, 2022 By Computer Techs
What Is the Cloud?
Once upon a time, the cloud referred to something you’d look up and see in the sky. In the age of technology, though, the cloud is something wholly different altogether. Essentially, the cloud offers a secure way to store and back up your data – things like your documents, files, photos and contact details. Before the cloud, you’d store this data on your computer hard drive. While you can still do this, it’s also wise to use the cloud too. This is because if your hard drive fails, then you can still access your data. Also, more of us now use computers and mobile phones. If you use the cloud, then you can access your information from multiple devices. In the same way … [Read more...]
March 1, 2022 By Computer Techs
Why you should never unsubscribe from certain emails
If you think the way to get less spam email is to click the "unsubscribe" link - not so fast. While legitimate email senders often will remove your email address from their list, spammers use unsubscribe links in emails to track people that take the time to open email and click the link. They then target you for even more junk email. Some methods that you can use to help identify legitimately sent emails include: Have you knowingly given your email address to the sender? Look to see if the "from" email address closely matches the company that it says it came from. For example if you get an email from "JCPenney" promising $10 off, but the email address displays … [Read more...]
February 1, 2022 By Computer Techs
6 reasons why you probably don’t need a VPN
One of the applications that you may hear about to keep your online connection more secure is a virtual private network (VPN). This is a service that basically takes your internet connection and reroutes it through its own servers before connecting you online. Many VPNs are advertised using FUD (fear, uncertainty, doubt) tactics. These companies make promises of encrypting your online connection and keeping your data safe. However, some of them have been found to be not very private after all. What Is a VPN? A VPN is a service that will route your online traffic through one or more of its servers. These servers can be anywhere in the world, and at times, you may be using different … [Read more...]
January 17, 2022 By Computer Techs
Search Gmail like a pro
Email has become one of the main ways we communicate both for work and personal conversations. It’s estimated that a person sends and receives an average of 126 emails per day, and that’s just for work. We all know that it doesn’t take long for an inbox to get unwieldy and fill up with older messages that are no longer needed or spam that can be deleted. But in between those unnecessary messages are emails that you need to keep. Trying to balance the two can be a challenge. Some users even get so many emails, they begin having computer issues and have to call in a technician because their email program is no longer working properly due to being overloaded. If you’re one of the many … [Read more...]
January 14, 2022 By Computer Techs
How Did My Password End Up in a Data Breach?
Updated August 2024: Most of us will have experienced a data breach at one point or another. Maybe you’ve received an email from a identity monitoring service telling you that one of your passwords has been compromised. Or perhaps your password manager has notified you that one of more of your passwords has been detected in a data breach of a website that you've registered with. It can be worrying to receive these notifications. You’ll likely wonder how your password ended up in a breach and why. More importantly, you’ll want to know how you can fix the issue as quickly as possible. Below, we’ll explore how data breaches happen and how you can best protect yourself in the … [Read more...]