Handy How-To's

A Brief Guide for Keeping Your Computer and Smartphone Malware-Free An infected computer or smartphone is unsafe to use, especially for shopping, banking and other important online transactions. Some malware can even cause a computer to become part of a "botnet" that is used by criminals to perpetrate certain types of attacks on the Internet. To keep your device malware-free, take these essential precautions. General Precautions Keep the operating system (Windows, Android, iOS, etc.) updated. If your device is no longer receiving security updates, replace it with a new one. Uninstall or deactivate apps that you don’t use. Install an app only if you need it. Don’t let children and other people who are not security-aware tinker with the device, because they might change an important setting, connect to an open network, or use it to visit a malware-infected site or download an infected file or app. Lock the device before leaving it. Also, set your device to lock i

Need help with your passwords? Here are two good ways to generate and protect strong passwords. Method 1: Use a Password Manager App A password manager app offers security, convenience and accessibility. Download a password manager app into your computer or smartphone, sign up for an account, and start using the app to store your usernames and passwords. When it’s time to change a password, it can generate a strong password for you. Now, you only need to memorize one password, which is the password or PIN of your password manager app. As a bonus, your password manager can also automate the sign-in process for you. A password manager is clearly better than a plain old password list, but it does have some drawbacks. Let’s have a look at them: A password manager is not immune to security risks. First, if a thief manages to steal your password manager and its password, he gains control of all the passwords you stored in it. Second, if you forget the password of your password man