An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. Malware infection on your devices should always be taken with utmost urgency. This has been a very lucrative business by people who make a living by stealing someone's personal information or identity theft, online banking id's and passwords, online shopping details and almost anything that is connected to the internet.
These Infections are spread through different channels like emails, fake software, data storage accessories like thumb drives and even by simply browsing the internet.
Because of this, extra care should be undertaken in order to minimize the chance of falling victim to malware and virus attacks.
Here are some important tips to follow...
1.) NEVER open attachments from someone you do not know. This emails/attachments of unknown source or "SPAM" usually contain some type of malware embedded in it and will activate upon opening. If for example you know the sender, still, it is strongly recommended that you get in touch with the person before opening to verify the email attachments you received because there is also a possibility that the sender is likewise a victim of malware and the account was used to distribute the virus among it's contacts.
2.) Do not believe and respond to emails sent to you by banks or any other financial institution. This method of sending fake emails to people stating something like there is a problem with their accounts and instructs to change their passwords by clicking a link is a form of "Phishing" attempt to steal your information. If you click on the link, you will be taken to a fake website that greatly resembles your bank's website and have you log in to your account. If you do, then your login information is compromised and they can now access your account and steal everything they can.
What you should do if you receive such email is to coordinate with your bank by using their own URL to make sure that you are going in the right website. It is also wise to change your password and other pertinent security details immediately. Always remember that emails are never used by financial institutions to get in touch with clients especially those that are critical and security related.
3.) Install an Anti virus and a firewall. This will be your protection against direct attacks. There are a lot of FREE antivirus out there that will do the job. Here are my recommended ones..
Antivirus and Firewall :
Malware scanners :
4.) Update Virus definitions and your software like Java, Flash player, windows updates etc... Malwares evolve and tries to exploit vulnerabilities in software securities. Outdated software are more prone to these vulnerabilities so it is just important to update them in order to counter it. It's a cat and mouse game between hackers and developers so make it a point apply those updates when available.
5.) Avoid using Cracks and serial key generators. Majority of malware infections come from sharing of cracked or illegal copied files and software. P2P applications are well known source of these malware and should be avoided as much as possible.
