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10. Don’t fall for cold-calling scams. Some scammers will call you on the phone and pretend to be
from a reputable tech company such as Microsoft and tell you that you have a virus on your computer.
Microsoft does not make these calls. Do not give the caller any information. Just hang up. If you have a
mobile phone, consider installing a call blocker app to keep unwanted calls from getting through.
Bonus Tips: Prepare for the Worst

Take steps to ensure that you’ll be able to recover from a malware attack.

11. Store your OS disks where you can find them. If you ever need to reinstall your operating system
and other important software, you don't want to have to go rummaging through boxes of junk in your
closet to find the disks. Keep them near your computer and make sure you always know where they are.

12. Back up your files. While backing up your files won’t help you avoid malware, it will help you avoid
the damage that malware causes, which is just as important. All of your important data should be backed
up either on an external hard drive or on a service such as Dropbox that stores your files on another
computer, or both. Having backups in place will ensure that if you get some sort of malware and are
unable to remove it without wiping the hard drive and reinstalling everything from scratch, you’ll still have
your data.

Malware programs can be extremely difficult to remove from your system, but if you follow the steps
outlined above, you have a good chance of avoiding them completely. Keep your computer’s software
updated and use common sense to avoid obvious risks. Don’t rely on an anti-malware program alone to
protect you. Use a combination of strategies to create layers of protection in order to increase your
chances of catching any threats that come your way.

About the Author

Howard Dawson is a technology writer for Strictly Digital, specializing
in privacy and security online. As an IT graduate and a writer, he
enjoys exploring new topics that are relevant in today’s tech world.
You can reach him by writing an email to [email protected] or by
visiting website https://strictly.digital

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