Avoid Headaching Expenses on Computer Repair Bills Because of Computer Spam and Viruses

Aug. 18, 2009 - PRLog -- Whenever your computer has access to the internet, especially e-mails, then it may be only a matter of time before you fall victim to a malicious spyware program, virus, worm, or hacker. Every day we experience customers getting displeased about their computer problems due to these threats, and it is only getting worse.

What's even more worrying is that several of my customers keeps coming back to my repair shop a few days or weeks later complaining about the EXACT same computer problems and ends up paying for ANOTHER repair just to get their computer up and running again.

Just imagine having these kinds of problem with your restaurant. Your POS systems being infiltrated, damaged and completely destroyed by viruses and worms. You absolutely have no way of protecting your restaurant POS system if you do not take extra precautions.

Here are Three of The Most Dangerous Computer Threats You Must Be Aware Of

One of the most dangerous aspects of online threats is their ability to cloak their existence. Hackers and the authors of malicious spyware and malware programs really exert vast amount of effort just to create harmful programs that are difficult to identify and remove.

This can mean that malicious computer programs can directly be downloaded and work its dirty tricks on your system before you aware of its existence. Below are the two most common threats you’ll need to guard against with a brief explanation of what they are and how you acquire them:

Spyware: Spyware is a type of computer program that is hidden from you, it obtains data and other activities you do on the internet without your consent, then reports such data back to a third party. Sometimes advertisers uses this sneaky program to secretly monitor their customers' activities. So Better be careful on what website you visit before clicking on that "download" button.

Most spyware finds its way onto your computer via file downloads including free programs, music files, and screen savers. While thinking you are only downloading a legitimate program to add emoticons to your e-mails, you are unknowingly also downloading a truck full of spyware programs.

Malware: Malware is the combination of the words malicious and software, and represents all programs, viruses, Trojans, and worms that have malicious intent to infiltrate or disrupt a system causes inconvenience to the user. A malware is designed to be used for malicious intent and it's harder to remove and will try to fight back when if clean it from your system. In some extreme cases, we have had to completely wipe out all of the information on the computers’ hard disk and start with a complete re-install of the operating system. Most of the time, malware secretly attach itself to your emails without your knowledge causing computer damage to your email recipients.

Hackers: Hackers are computer programmers turned evil. They are the people who design the spyware and malware programs that attack your computer.

So if you're a restaurant or any other retail establishment owner, having no kind of security for your POS systems at all, then your system is surely one of the easiest targets.

Some of them have criminal intent and use these programs to steal money and acquire secured information from unsuspecting individuals and companies. Some of them may have a grudge against the big software vendors and seek to harm them by secretly attacking their customers. While other hackers do it just for fun. Whatever the reason, hackers are getting more intelligent and advanced in their ability to infiltrate computer systems and networks.

4 Simple Steps To Secure Your Computer From Malicious Attacks

1. Always remember to regularly update your antivirus software. You ought to make sure it it auto scan and update feature that will make sure your computer is using the most current protection available and regularly scanning for threats.

2. Consider another browser like Mozilla Firefox as an alternative browser to MS Internet Explorer. Hackers have figured out ways to access and download malicious programs to your computer via a security hole in IE. Even worse about this is that even if you do not click anything and/or download a program to get infected. You are very susceptible to attacks if you use an older version of Windows such as Windows 98.

Though Mozilla Firefox is a free browser, it does not have the same security problem as IE. A few of my clients even report back that they prefer using Mozilla Firefox than Microsoft IE. Migrating from IE to Firefox is a simple and cost-free way to add another layer of security to your computer. To download this free browser, go to www.mozilla.org.

3. Don't] open suspicious looking e-mails or attachments, especially from people who are not listed on your address book. This goes without saying since most viruses are distributed by e-mail. If you feel it's suspicious, delete it immediately!

4. Using s firewall. A firewall is simply a device that acts as a buffer between you and the big, wild world of the Internet. many internet users will just buy a DSL or cable Internet connection and plug it without a firewall.

The one thing you have to remember about the Internet is that it is a big open field. You have access to the world, but on the flip side, the world has access to YOU. Hackers have developed special programs which they use to scan the Internet automatically for computers without a firewall. And once they find one, they they immediately access your computer, download vicious programs, and might even use your computer to send their ravaging viruses to your friends or other computers without your permission.

It only takes one click of a mouse to gain easy access to your restaurant POS system, collect all customer or employee information, destroy your computer system, and sends out virus-infected emails to your customers and friends using your email account! It will surely be the end of your hard work, a huge waste of money on the restaurant POS solutions you've bought, and possibly the downfall of your business if you let this things happen to you.

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For more details about retail Point of Sale (POS) systems or to have a local POS professional serving the restaurant industry, you may visit http://pos-for-restaurants.com

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