Your computer may store family photographs, business records, and access to accounts you use every day. Protecting it means securing both the device and the information connected to it.
Make the basics part of the routine.
Keep your operating system, browser, and applications updated. Use unique passwords and enable an additional authentication step on important accounts. Treat unexpected links, attachments, and urgent requests with care; contact the organization through details you already trust.
Keep a recovery plan as well as a prevention plan.
Identify the files that matter, where their backup copies are stored, and how to restore them. A copy on a second device is not necessarily a complete backup strategy.
For a business, assign responsibility for checking backups and test how restoration works. Ensure everyone who needs to act understands the plan.
Recognize pressure as a warning sign.
A pop-up asking you to call a support number may be a tech-support scam. Do not grant remote access in response to an alarming message. If you need help, contact a business you know using a trusted number.
Separate a device problem from an account problem.
Cleaning unwanted software from a computer does not automatically resolve access to an email, shopping, or bank account. If you think someone gained access, follow the affected provider’s recovery process and review the account itself.
For help with suspicious software or an unreliable computer, learn about computer cleanup. For a company-wide discussion, contact us about business IT.