Welcome to one of the first series of articles brought to you by Dayton Allied Business Solutions. Throughout the month, I will post various articles on various topics pertaining to the services my company can provide for you, as well as tips and tricks to help you along the way, in between requiring any service. Our first topic for this series is going to be a broad subject on computer security.
Computer security is frequently seen as a technical and difficult subject. It might be complicated when you get down to the nitty-gritty, but the most critical aspects are actually rather easy. Here are some of the most critical things you can take to stay safe online.
Stay Updated
Always stay updated with the latest software and operating system releases. This right here is a very simple solution, in fact, in most cases when new software is installed or even through Microsoft Windows itself, the option for what is generally labeled as, “Automatic Updates” is already turned on by default.
This is almost always something good to keep on as it will ensure you get the latest and most up-to-date bug fixes (patches bad code generally, sometimes when a task doesn’t do what it is supposed to do, a link goes to a wrong setting, etc), security releases (this is generally when a security risk has been discovered by the developer and they are closing that “open door” to keep any further malicious users or programs from attempting to gain access).
This is especially important when talking about antivirus, anti-malware, Internet Security software suites out there. So here is the thing, there is plenty of software out there that protects you against these things when you have them, which brings us to the next topic.
Security Software
Let’s face it, we have probably been in the office supply store, electronics department at your favorite store, or even seen ads on TV or the internet. Also, more recently, many box store retailers have been offering promotions with the purchase of certain electronics or computer-related purchases, a free trial for 1 year for any given software out there – generally offering a redemption code on the receipt. There are all sorts of big-name companies out there supplying basically the same types of services, but some may prove to be better than others, use fewer computer resources, more or less distracting than others, or require less input or more input from the computer user on handing problems.
You may be familiar with such software development companies as Microsoft Windows’ built-in and free-of-cost component, called Windows Defender, as with such, it is already preinstalled on all Windows computers within the last several OS versions. Other big-name companies with standalone premium software such as Norton, Kaspersky, McAfee, BitDefender*, Malwarebytes, Webroot, Trend Micro, and so many others. These are among the most popular software choices for the past several years (to include 2020-2021).
See recent review articles on these software applications here as reviewed by editors of PC Magazine.
So which one do you use? Honestly, that comes down to a lot of variables that may determine the best fit for you based on your needs or environment. Are you looking for personal use or business use? Are you looking for simply antivirus, or all-in-one suites that provide this plus premium internet security, ransomware protection, VPN support, additional firewall protection, phishing protection, and so much more?
My personal choice for the past several years has been the software BitDefender. After years of using several other programs out there, this one has been the best fit for ME and my needs, and the same can be said for the average home user and even small business user. Furthermore, BitDefender has generally offered some of the best pricing and promotions, generally offering great deals on their total security package for use of 1, 5, or even 10 computers under the same license. If you have multiple computers you own as a person or a business, these are the types of deals you want to look for is bulk licensing. Generally, you can also be provided convenient “Dashboards” through the software to oversee other devices you own and have the software installed on, to make it even easier for one-click operations of updating, computer scans for threats, and so much more.
But I still need help!
Sure, some of these decisions are sometimes best left up to an expert who can further help you determine the best service for your needs. Let us help you today by contacting Dayton Allied Business Solutions.
