"Five security measures" to protect yourself from virus infection

*This blog is written by Nobuhiko Sasaki, Senior Security Advisor, Cyber ​​Strategy Office, McAfee Corporation.

　The Internet has become an indispensable part of daily life and work. With the rapid spread of smartphones, it has become possible to use the Internet easily anytime and anywhere, but security threats that threaten Internet users are also approaching. However, not many users are aware of security threats when using the Internet.

　In May of this year, our company announced the Global Survey of PC Security Status of Individual Users, which revealed that 17% of individual users did not have anti-virus software installed or had it disabled. It is Also, in Japan, 19.35% of individual users have not taken measures, and it is ranked 19th out of 24 countries in the country ranking.

　Nowadays, damage caused by virus infection is becoming a major social problem, such as false arrests caused by virus infection and illegal remittances in online banking. It is important to be aware of this and implement the necessary security measures to prevent damage. Please refer to the "Five Articles of Security Measures" below and check again.

"Five Security Measures" to Protect Yourself from Virus Infection

1. Always apply the latest patches to your OS and software!

　Security flaws (security holes) called vulnerabilities may be found in OS and software. If security holes are left unattended, criminals may gain unauthorized access and take over your computer.

　Usually, when a security hole is discovered by an OS or software manufacturer, they release an update file called a "patch" that fixes the flaw. Applying the latest patches can prevent compromise from malicious criminals, so always apply the latest security patches and avoid security holes.

(Windows Update confirmation screen)

　If the shield mark is "green" on the Windows Update screen, all the latest patches have been applied and your computer is in a safe state. If the shield mark is "yellow", all the latest patches have not been applied and your computer is in a dangerous state. Click "Install updates" to apply the latest patch.

　Windows Update can also change the patch application schedule to any time. If you do not use your computer at the preset update date and time, click "Change settings" from the Windows Update settings screen and select a convenient update date and time from "Install new updates" (Frequency of computer usage Make sure to apply the latest patch by changing it during the time period when there are many

(Screen example for "Change patch application schedule" in Windows Update)

*For details on the update procedure, please refer to the following Microsoft website.

One. You should not be relieved just by installing antivirus software!

　It is essential to use anti-virus software to protect your computer from virus infection, but simply installing the software is not a sufficient measure. Check the following points to make sure your computer is protected.

　If "Your computer is in danger" is displayed in the red band, click "Check for updates" and update the definition file.

　Since nearly 100,000 new and subspecies of viruses are confirmed every day, if the "definition file", which is the source of information for detecting viruses, is not always up to date, new outbreaks will occur. cannot prevent infection by viruses that In order to reliably detect the latest viruses and protect your computer from infection, always update to the latest definition files and regularly perform on-demand scans (scheduled or manual virus scans).

In addition, users who only use their PCs occasionally need to be especially careful because the definition files may remain outdated without being updated. If you start your PC for the first time in a long time, it is recommended that you check the status of the definition files before using email or the web, manually update them if they are not up to date, and perform a manual virus scan. To do.

One. Don't open emails you don't know!

　E-mails from people you don't know or don't know may be emails from malicious criminals. Criminals will try tricks to trick you into infecting your computer with a virus. In particular, email links and attachments can contain viruses, so if you receive a suspicious email, check with the sender or get advice from people around you. Check your gender.

One. Do not browse suspicious websites!

　Dangerous sites may be lurking among the many websites on the Internet. Do not browse suspicious websites, as some websites can infect your computer with a virus just by browsing. Even if the website looks legitimate at first glance, it may be a fake website designed to deceive you.

　For websites such as online banking where you need to enter personal information, check the connection URL, domain name, server certificate, whether the communication is encrypted, etc. Please use it after confirming the gender. There is also software that evaluates the safety of websites and prevents users from being redirected to dangerous sites (e.g. McAfee SiteAdvisor), so make effective use of this security software.

(Example of website safety rating display - McAfee SiteAdvisor)

About the site advisor's safety evaluation (rating)

One. Don't pick up and eat!

　Virus infection via USB memory is very common. Even if you pick up a USB memory or CD-ROM, do not browse the files on your computer out of curiosity, as you can be infected with a virus just by connecting a USB memory.

*This article has been reprinted from a blog operated by McAfee, picked up by the editorial department.