We are, as before, convinced that Windows is unthinkable without antivirus protection. You only need to choose the right product. For Tens users, this could even be the built-in Windows Defender. Despite the fact that during our tests it did not show the best degree of recognition, it is perfectly integrated into the system and, most importantly, without any security problems. In addition, Microsoft has improved its product in an update Creators Update for Windows 10 and simplified its management.

Antivirus packages from other developers often have a higher recognition rate than Defender. We stand for a compact solution. The leader of our rating on this moment is Kaspersky Internet Security 2017. Those who can refuse such additional options, as a parental control and password manager, should turn their attention to a more budget-friendly option from Kaspersky Lab.

If we had to choose only one measure to keep Windows secure, we would definitely go with updates. In this case, of course, we are talking primarily about updates for Windows, but not only. Installed software, including Office, Firefox and iTunes, should also be updated regularly. On Windows get system updates relatively easy. In both the “seven” and “ten”, patches are installed automatically using the default settings.

In the case of programs, the situation becomes more difficult, since not all of them are as easy to update as Firefox and Chrome, which have a built-in automatic update function. SUMo utility ( Software Update Monitor) will support you in solving this problem and inform you about the availability of updates. A related program, DUMo (Driver Update Monitor), will do the same job for drivers. Both free assistants, however, only inform you about new versions - you will have to download and install them yourself.

Built in Windows firewall does its job well and reliably blocks all incoming requests. However, it is capable of more - its potential is not limited by the default configuration: all installed programs have the right to open ports in the firewall without asking. Free utility Windows Firewall Control puts more features at your fingertips.

Launch it and in the “Profiles” menu set the filter to “Medium Filtering”. Thanks to this, the firewall will also control outgoing traffic according to a given set of rules. You decide for yourself what measures will be included. To do this, in the lower left corner of the program screen, click on the note icon. This way you can view the rules and with one click grant permission to a specific program or block it.

Updates, antivirus and firewall - you've already taken care of this great trinity of security measures. It's time fine tuning. The problem with additional programs for Windows is often that they do not take advantage of all the security features the system offers. An anti-exploit utility such as EMET (Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit) further strengthens the installed software. To do this, click on “Use Recommended Settings” and let the program run automatically.

You can significantly enhance the protection of personal data by encrypting it. Even if your information falls into the wrong hands, a hacker will not be able to remove good coding, at least not right away. Professional versions of Windows already have a BitLocker utility that can be configured through the Control Panel.

VeraCrypt will be an alternative for all users. This open source program is the unofficial successor to TrueCrypt, which was discontinued a couple of years ago. If we are talking only about protecting personal information, you can create an encrypted container through the “Create Volume” item. Select the “Create an encrypted file container” option and follow the Wizard’s instructions. The ready-made data safe is accessed through Windows Explorer, just like a regular disk.

Many vulnerabilities remain unexploited by hackers simply because work on the computer is carried out under a standard account with limited rights. So, for day-to-day tasks, you should also set up such an account. In Windows 7, this is done through the Control Panel and the “Add and Remove User Accounts” item. In the “top ten”, click on “Settings” and “Accounts”, and then select “Family and other people”.

At home in wireless network Your level of security is high because you control who has access to the local network and are responsible for encryption and access codes. Everything is different in the case of hotspots, for example,
in hotels. Here Wi-Fi is distributed between outside users, and for safety network access you are unable to exert any influence. For protection, we recommend using a VPN (Virtual Private Network). If you just need to browse sites through an access point, the built-in VPN in latest version Opera browser. Install the browser and in “Settings” click on “Security”. In the "VPN" section, check the box for "Enable VPN."

Even the details can decide the outcome of a situation. If you don't use connections like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, simply turn them off to close potential loopholes. In Windows 10, the easiest way to do this is through the Action Center. “Seven” offers the “Network Connections” section in the Control Panel for this purpose.

Each password must be used only once and must contain special characters, numbers, uppercase and lowercase letters. And also be as long as possible - preferably ten or more characters. The principle of password security has reached its limits today because users have to remember too much. Therefore, where possible, such protection should be replaced by other methods. Take signing into Windows for example: If you have a camera that supports Windows Hello, use facial recognition to sign in. For other codes, we recommend using password managers such as KeePass, which should be protected with a strong master password.

There are many ways to protect your privacy online. The Privacy Settings extension is ideal for Firefox. Install it and set it to "Full Privacy". After this, the browser will not provide any information about your behavior on the Internet.

Lifebuoy: backup

> Backups are extremely important Backups pay off
yourself not only after infection with the virus. It also works well when problems with hardware arise. Our advice: make a copy of all Windows once, and then additionally and regularly make backups of all important data.

> Full archiving of Windows Windows 10 inherited from the “seven” the “Archiving and Restore” module. Using it you will create a backup copy of the system. You can also use special utilities, For example, True Image or Macrium Reflect.

> True Image file protection and the paid version of Macrium Reflect can make copies of specific files and folders. Free alternative for archiving important information will become the Personal Backup program.

PHOTO: manufacturing companies; NicoElNino/Fotolia.com

1. All information transmitted within one tunnel is protected from both unauthorized viewing and modification.

2. Encapsulation of IP packets makes it possible to hide the topology of the internal LAN: from the Internet, the exchange of information between two protected LANs is visible as an exchange of information only between their VPN agents, since all internal IP addresses in IP packets transmitted over the Internet in this case do not appear . .

The rules for creating tunnels are formed depending on various characteristics IP packets, for example, are the main one when constructing most VPN protocol IPSec (Security Architecture for IP) establishes the following set of input data by which tunneling parameters are selected and a decision is made when filtering a specific IP packet:

1. Source IP address. This can be not only a single IP address, but also a subnet address or a range of addresses.

2. Destination IP address. There may also be a range of addresses specified explicitly, using a subnet mask or wildcard.

3. User ID (sender or recipient).

4. Transport layer protocol (TCP/UDP).

5. Port number from or to which the packet was sent.

Firewall
A firewall is a software or hardware-software tool that protects local networks and individual computers from unauthorized access from external networks by filtering the two-way flow of messages when exchanging information. In fact, a firewall is a “stripped-down” VPN agent that does not encrypt packets or control their integrity, but in some cases has a number of additional functions, the most common of which are the following:
antivirus scanning;
monitoring the correctness of packets;
monitoring the correctness of connections (for example, establishment, use and termination of TCP sessions);
content control.

Firewalls, which do not have the functions described above and perform only packet filtering, are called packet filters.
By analogy with VPN agents, there are also personal firewalls that protect only the computer on which they are installed.
Firewalls are also located on the perimeter of protected networks and filter network traffic according to the configured security policy.

Comprehensive protection

An electronic lock can be developed based on a hardware encoder. In this case, you get one device that performs the functions of encryption, random number generation and protection against unauthorized access. Such an encryptor can be the security center of the entire computer; on its basis, you can build a fully functional cryptographic data protection system, providing, for example, the following capabilities:

1. Protect your computer from physical access.

2. Protecting your computer from unauthorized access via the network and organizing a VPN.

3. On-demand file encryption.

4. Automatic encryption of computer logical drives.

5. Calculate/verify digital signature.

6. Message protection Email.

In the era information technologies There is an urgent question about how to protect data on a computer. Passwords and logins from social networks, banking account management systems, account data, private photos and other files - all this may be of interest to attackers.
It is not only government agencies, banks or popular websites that are targeted by hackers. Personal information of ordinary users may also be of interest to hackers. Criminals use stolen accounts on Odnoklassniki or Facebook for fraudulent purposes, stolen photographs become the subject of blackmail, and obtaining payment system data gives attackers the opportunity to leave their owners without a penny in their account.
To avoid becoming a victim of hackers, you need to pay attention to the security of storing personal data. How can you protect personal information on a computer, this article will tell you.

Method 1: Strong Passwords

The easiest way to protect data on your computer is to use strong passwords. Most users know that security experts do not recommend using simple combinations of numbers and letters (qwerty, 12345, 00000) as a key. But the emergence of “smart” cracking programs has led to the fact that more complex passwords can be calculated by brute force. If the attacker knows the potential victim personally, an atypical but simple key (date of birth, address, pet name) is also easily found.
To save accounts in in social networks and on other resources, as well as a user account on a PC, it is recommended to use complex combinations that consist of large and small Latin letters, numbers and service symbols. It is desirable that the password is easy to remember, but does not contain any obvious meaning. For example, a key of the type 22DecmebeR1991 is recognized by sites as reliable, but contains the date of birth and therefore can be easily hacked.

Method 2: Data Encryption

To protect personal information on your computer in the event that an attacker attempts to access it, it is recommended that you use data encryption. Enterprise and professional versions of Windows come with BitLocker. The system mechanism allows you to encrypt information on one or more partitions hard drive. Access to files becomes possible only when using a special key.
If you need to secure separate files and folders, most in a simple way To protect personal data on your computer is to use encrypted archives. By moving documents, photos or other data to password-protected archive, the attacker will not be able to open them even after gaining full access to the PC. To open ZIP or RAR content, you must dial an access code. Most modern archivers are equipped with similar functionality.
There is also a large amount of free software that allows you to encrypt data. Among such programs are Free Hide Folder, Folder Lock, TrueCrypt and others.

Method 3: Use an antivirus program

To gain access to someone else's PC, hackers use auxiliary software, installed on the victim's computer. Trojan viruses intercept information entered from the keyboard, replace websites with copies created by scammers, and send personal data. To protect personal data, it is advisable to install the latest version of antivirus software and monitor its updates. It is also recommended to limit access to drives by prohibiting reading information from them over the network.

Method 4: Set a password on the BIOS and/or hard drive

Basic OS password protection does not allow you to quickly hack the system, but is vulnerable if the computer falls into the hands of a criminal for a long time. By reinstalling Windows, you can gain access to unencrypted files. Setting a password in the BIOS (UEFI)*, which is required to be entered when turning on the computer, makes it impossible to boot the PC from either built-in or external media.
*BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) or UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) is a part of the computer system software that is responsible for organizing the operation of the system hardware components and controlling its loading. The BIOS/UEFI setup menu is entered at an early stage of PC boot (the first seconds after turning on) by pressing the Del, F1 or F2 button (see the instructions for the PC or laptop). U various models On computers, the names of the settings sub-items may differ, but, as a rule, the necessary options are located in the section whose name contains the word Security.
An even greater degree of protection for personal information is provided by password-protecting your hard drive. By setting the access code for the drive via BIOS/UEFI, the user makes it useless in the hands of an attacker. Even after removing the hard drive from the PC case and connecting it to another device, you cannot access the data. An attempt to unlock the drive with a “master key” will lead to the destruction of data.

Method 5: Using HTTPS Protocol

The use of the HTTPS secure data transfer protocol eliminates the risk of interception of information that is sent to the server in encrypted form. This standard is not a separate technology, but represents an add-on over standard HTTP. When using it, data encryption is carried out using the SSL protocol.
Unfortunately, to keep things running this method Data protection requires that the server be equipped to support this technology. It is impossible to use it unilaterally.
If the server supports HTTPS, then when a client connects, the system assigns it a unique certificate and all transferred data is encrypted with a 40, 56, 128 or 256-bit key. Thus, decryption is carried out only on end devices, and intercepting someone else’s signal will not give the attacker anything.
If the service involves working with confidential information or conducting financial transactions, it is recommended to be wary of resources that do not support HTTPS.
Websites of online stores, banks, and payment systems (Yandex.Money, Webmoney) use the HTTPS protocol by default. Facebook, Google, Twitter, VKontakte services provide the ability to enable it in your account settings. Other sites also work with it.

Method 6: Protect your wireless networks

If your computer's security settings do not restrict access to it over the network, an unsecured Wi-Fi network allows an attacker to gain access to the contents of the drives. To avoid this, it is recommended that you set the data encryption method to WPA/WPA2 on your router and set complex password(See Method 1).
To eliminate the risk of hacking Wi-Fi networks You can disable connection name (SSID) translation. In this case, only users who know the network name will be able to connect to the router.

Method 7: Parental Control Systems

If children use the computer, the risk of contracting malware increases significantly. To protect personal data on your PC, you can create an account with limited access rights for your child. Windows (version 7 and later) contains built-in tools parental controls. With their help, you can limit the time your child spends at the computer, deny access to certain programs, and block the ability to install third-party software.
There is also third-party software that has similar (or broader) functionality. On the Internet you can find both paid and free funds parental control. In addition, some providers support this function. In this case, in personal account On the telecom operator’s website, you can set restrictions on visiting certain resources.

How to protect information on your computer most reliably

Each of the above methods for protecting personal data on a computer is reliable in one situation, but also has vulnerabilities. To achieve a high level of security, it is recommended to combine methods.
Unfortunately, it doesn't exist universal method data protection that would be 100% effective. Even the servers of banks and law enforcement agencies are vulnerable to hacker attacks, as evidenced by large-scale leaks of documents from the Pentagon, US governments and other countries published by Wikileaks.
However, given that ordinary users rarely become victims of hackers of this level, it is possible to secure personal data. For this it is recommended:
install the current version of an antivirus program (preferably with firewall and firewall functions);
protect the user account with a strong password;
do not use the same access codes for all accounts;
protect Wi-Fi, disable general access to files on a PC over a local network, first of all, to the system partition (if this is not possible, limit access by allowing it only to trusted network members who really need it);
do not store keys and passwords in TXT, DOC, RTF and other documents on the PC itself;
The most valuable files and folders should be placed in a password-protected archive or encrypted.

You can protect personal information on your computer in other ways. The main thing is to find a compromise between the level of security and ease of use of the PC. Radical measures (eg. full encryption data, access to a PC using a physical key and limiting the list of allowed resources) may be unnecessary on a home PC and cause unnecessary inconvenience. Practice shows that the use of overly complex protective equipment leads to a gradual refusal of users to use them.

Computer viruses cause a lot of trouble and problems to many users. And in the vast majority of cases, all of them have an antivirus installed. There is only one conclusion - the antivirus does not provide the necessary level of protection. This problem needs to be solved by comprehensively setting up your computer and learning the basics of security.

1. What you need to know about viruses

A virus is a malicious program created by an attacker. The purpose of the first viruses was the self-affirmation of their creators, and their action was to harm the computer. Today, the vast majority of viruses are aimed at illegally obtaining Money one way or another.

In order to effectively protect yourself from viruses, you need to know how they work. The main tasks of viruses are to penetrate the user’s computer, ensure their launch, protect themselves from detection and removal, and carry out destructive actions.

2. Types of viruses

Viruses infect a computer in various ways and, depending on this, are divided into different types.

File virus

It infects other programs and files by adding its own program code to them. Thus, when an infected program or file is launched, malicious code is executed. If you are infected with a virus system files, then the malicious code runs automatically every time the computer boots.

Worm

A worm is a self-replicating virus. Having penetrated the user's computer, the worm duplicates itself many times, placing many copies of itself in different folders with different names, making it difficult to delete. Worms can also be copied through local network into public folders on other computers, sending themselves via email, messaging programs and network attacks.

Double virus

Some viruses remove or make hidden files and user folders and replace them with malicious files with the same icons and names. The user tries to open them and runs malicious code. Such viruses are now found on flash drives.

Trojan

Trojans are viruses that do not infect other files, but place their own files on the user's computer. Often these files are located in operating system folders, disguised as system files, added to startup and launched every time the computer boots. Identifying Trojans is more difficult because their actions are similar to other programs that also add their files to the system and run along with the computer.

False program

Some viruses are disguised as programs useful to the user, designed to download files from the Internet, watch videos on websites, improve computer performance, and even protect against viruses. The user installs the program himself, uses it, and is not even aware of its “undocumented capabilities.”

Also, such programs often try to get money from the user. For example, a false antivirus or program for eliminating errors in the system detects several dozen non-existent viruses or problems on your computer, some of them offer to fix them for free, and the rest after purchase full version or sending SMS. This is a classic scam.

3. Actions of viruses

Regardless of the method of infecting a computer, viruses can perform various actions and, on this basis, are also divided into different types.

Display intrusive advertising in Internet browsers and replace the address home page, redirect users to various sites. Installed as additional program, plugin or browser panel with other free programs or under the guise of something useful from the Internet.

Spies and keyloggers

Designed to steal confidential information and passwords. They monitor the user’s actions, search for confidential information on the computer, collect data entered from the keyboard, from the clipboard, take screenshots and send them to the attacker. The purpose of such programs is a variety of data. Numbers bank cards allow you to steal funds from a bank account. From hacked social network and Skype accounts, messages can be sent to your friends with an offer to download a file or visit a website. Mail can be used to send spam. Program license keys, account and property from online games can be sold.

Ransomware blockers

They block the operation of the operating system and display a message requiring you to send an SMS or pay a certain amount to some account. After this, it promises to unlock the computer. But in the vast majority of cases, unlocking does not occur. In order to remove such a virus and restore normal operation of the computer, you need to have some experience.

Ransomware-blockers may report that you allegedly violated the license Windows agreement, introduce themselves as law enforcement agencies (Ministry of Internal Affairs), show shocking pictures and obscene text.

Ransomware

All user files on the computer - documents, photos, videos, etc. - are quietly encrypted. When all files are encrypted, a message appears on the screen requiring you to send an SMS or pay a certain amount to some account. After this, it promises to decrypt the files. But in the vast majority of cases, decryption does not occur.

Encrypted files can only be restored from a backup copy. I recommend storing valuable files (documents, photos, etc.) on an external drive.

Botnets

They spread to a large number of computers and provide access to them to an attacker. The virus does not manifest itself until it receives a special command. Infected computers (zombies) are used to organize large-scale attacks on the servers of enterprises and government agencies and send spam.

Backdoors

Provide access to the computer. Using them, an attacker can download various malware. As necessary, these programs can be removed or replaced by others.

4. Routes of penetration of viruses

Viruses can penetrate a computer in several ways - from an infected flash drive, CD/DVD, from the Internet and local computer network. In this case, various vulnerabilities in the operating system, programs, social engineering and phishing.

Flash drives

Many viruses are spread using files on flash drives and external drives. It is enough to insert a flash drive into an infected computer and the virus will immediately appear on it. Then, when you insert a flash drive into a healthy computer, the virus is transferred to it. After this, the newly infected computer begins to infect other flash drives.

CD/ DVD-discs

Viruses can be transmitted via CD/DVDs. These can be either infected user files or viruses that have penetrated through a disc burning program.

Internet

There are many infected files and programs on the Internet; after downloading and opening them, the computer becomes infected with a virus. In addition, modern websites use scripts and other technologies based on program code to increase interactivity. Attackers create scripts designed to spread viruses. All you have to do is go to a site with such a script and the virus is already on your computer, even if you haven’t downloaded or installed anything.

The local network

If one of the computers connected to a local network with other computers turns out to be infected, then viruses from it can be transmitted to other computers through public folders or using network attacks. If your provider, in addition to Internet services, also has a local network, then the intensity of network attacks and the likelihood of infection will be high.

Vulnerabilities in the system

Network attacks are constantly being carried out on user computers, which are possible both from the local network and from the Internet. They exploit various vulnerabilities in the operating system, network services and drivers. Special network packets are sent to the user’s computer, which lead to malfunctions software components in order to seize control over them. They then create a loophole through which the virus enters the computer. To get infected, just connect your computer to a local network or the Internet; no user action is required.

Vulnerabilities in programs

Viruses can also enter a computer through various vulnerabilities in programs. This can be either network attacks on programs using the Internet, or various infected files. For example, malicious code could be embedded in Word file, Excel, PDF or any other. When an infected file is opened, control over the program is seized and the virus is further introduced into the system.

Social engineering

Many viruses are spread through email and Internet sites by convincing the user that he will receive something useful, valuable or interesting if he opens a certain file or goes to a certain site. If the user believes this and carries out the proposed action, then his computer will be infected with a virus.

Users are also sent emails, messages on social networks, Skype, SMS, and even receive calls asking them to provide some personal information. In this case, the attacker may pose as an employee of a bank, the support service of a website, or even a friend or relative.

Phishing

Phishing is the spoofing of the address of a popular website in order to infect a computer with a virus or obtain confidential information.

Users receive messages allegedly on behalf of the administration of the site or social network where they are actually registered, with an offer to go to the site to resolve some issue and are offered a link very similar to the official address of the site. If a user clicks on this link, his computer becomes infected with a virus.

Attackers also create special websites that exactly replicate the authorization pages of official websites of banks, postal services, social networks, online games, etc. The site address can also be very similar. Then it is sent to users email supposedly on behalf of the site, with some kind of notification and a link to go to the site. By clicking on the link, the user is taken to a fake authorization page, where they are asked to enter their username and password. After entering the password, it is sent to the attacker and the account is hacked, and the user is redirected to the real site and does not notice the substitution.

Once the virus has entered the computer, it is added to startup so that it runs every time the computer is turned on. Here are the main ways to auto-download viruses:

In addition, there are hundreds of so-called autorun points. The same virus can use several of them at once. This makes it much more difficult to identify and remove malware.

6. Virus self-defense

Almost any virus, having penetrated a computer and registered itself in startup, tries to protect itself from detection and removal in various ways.

Automatic restart

The easiest way to protect a virus is to run several independent processes that monitor each other. If one of the processes ends, the remaining one restarts it. This makes it difficult to disable the virus to remove it.

Deletion protection

Virus processes in computer memory monitor virus files on the disk and startup points. If the user or antivirus deletes the virus file or its autorun point, then the virus processes in memory immediately restore them. Also, the virus can self-repair every time you boot your computer.

Disguise

More advanced modern viruses use various ways camouflage.

Often, virus files are protected from detection by encrypting them, which prevents antivirus programs from detecting malicious code. When downloading, the virus code is extracted from an encrypted file and placed in the computer's memory.

Polymorphic (mutating) viruses change their code every time they infect a new computer, and sometimes every time the computer is rebooted. This prevents the antivirus from identifying malicious code using already known signatures.

Rootkits are special components included in the protection complex of modern viruses. They penetrate the kernel of the operating system and have the highest powers. Rootkits are designed to hide a virus from an antivirus program. For example, they can intercept antivirus calls to the disk and registry, remove virus file names and registry settings from the data stream, and transfer already cleaned data to the antivirus.

Also, the virus itself can operate in kernel mode, where only the most important components systems such as device drivers. From there, they can even fight antivirus programs.

Antivirus neutralization

Some high-tech viruses can successfully resist antivirus programs and completely or partially neutralize their algorithms.

Most dangerous virus one that does not allow itself to be detected, does not cause problems in the operating system and lives on the computer for a long time with the aim of stealing confidential information and user funds.

7. Basic methods of protection against viruses

I decided to divide the methods of protection against viruses and security threats into basic ones - mandatory for everyone, and additional ones - at the request of the user. In this section we will look at the main methods of protection, and in the next we will talk about additional ones.

Modern viruses are high-tech programs with a complex of camouflage and self-defense that are difficult to detect and neutralize. Therefore, comprehensive measures must also be used to protect against them. This is an antivirus program that covers all possible ways penetration of viruses and adherence to safety principles when working on a computer. All this is not so difficult; it is enough to set up your computer well once and not break certain rules.

7.1. File virus protection

In order to protect yourself from viruses infecting files, it is enough to install any antivirus.

Paid antiviruses provide a high level of protection against other security threats. It makes sense to purchase them if you deal with valuable confidential information or carry out serious financial transactions. The best for Russian-speaking countries is Kaspersky Internet Security. If your computer is weak, you can purchase faster and lighter Dr.Web Security Space.

From free, for the operating room Windows systems 7,8.1,10 I recommend Avast. For Windows XP – 360 Total Security or Avira. Both programs are fast, lightweight, and well suited for low-end computers. 360 Total Security has various additional functions - disk cleaning, monitoring Windows updates, webcam protection and is more suitable for those who like to understand everything. Avira contains everything necessary elements protection and is more suitable for lovers of minimalism who do not want to delve into the settings.

Never disable your antivirus or open suspicious files no matter how much you want to. In the vast majority of cases, you will not get what you want and will only harm yourself.

7.2. Protection against false and infected programs

Use only popular, well-known programs. Download programs only from developer sites and popular, well-known sites. Check all downloaded files on VirusTotal.com.

Avoid installing dubious programs, especially those that are found to be unwanted by VirusTotal.com. Always select a custom installation and uncheck additionally offered components.

7.3. Virus protection on flash drives

The easiest way to protect yourself from getting your computer infected is through a flash drive. To do this, you need to disable autorun of flash drives in the Windows registry. I made a special file that sets the necessary parameters in the registry automatically and works with all Windows versions. All you need to do is run it and agree to make changes to the registry.

In order for the changes to take effect, you need to restart the computer. After this, autorun of viruses from flash drives will be impossible. Please note that the autorun window will not appear when inserting flash drives. You can access the flash drive via Windows Explorer(My computer).

You can download the file to disable autorun of flash drives in the “” section.

7.4. Virus protection on CD/DVDs

Autorun of CDs/DVDs could also be disabled in the registry. But the spread of viruses on disks is already rare and antiviruses easily block them. And disabling autorun of disks will cause a lot of inconvenience, since you will have to manually search for the autorun program on them. Therefore, I recommend not to bother with this.

7.5. Protection against scripts in the browser

There is a very good NoScript plugin for the Firefox browser. After installing it, some sites may lose some functionality. But with just a simple click of the mouse, add them to the list of allowed ones and their functionality will be restored.

But you don’t need to add everything, just those sites that you absolutely trust. Then Internet security will be at a fairly high level.

For Chrome browser There is a similar plugin called ScriptBlock. The principle of its operation is the same. On allowed sites, scripts are not blocked, but on others you will be safe.

7.6. Protecting passwords in the browser

All browsers allow you to remember passwords for websites the first time you enter them.

This is convenient because you do not need to enter a password the next time you log into this site. But this is not safe, since the password from the browser can be stolen.

For Firefox and Chrome browsers, there is an excellent LastPass plugin that also offers to save passwords as you enter them on sites, but stores them in secure storage. When entering sites, he inserts the login and password into the required fields, which is very convenient.

Do not enter your passwords on other people's computers, as they may be infected with a spyware or keylogger.

You can download the LastPass plugin in the "" section.

7.7. Protection against social engineering

Do not click on dubious advertisements on the Internet, especially flashing images with incredible promises. In the best case, you will end up on a site where they will fraudulently try to convince you to buy something; in the worst case, you will end up on a site infected with a virus.

Never download files or click on links from email messages if they come from recipients you do not know. No matter how tempting or harmless this message may be, in 99% of cases they want to deceive you!

Also, do not open attachments or click on links from strange messages that came from someone you know (like look at my photo or download a cool program). Most likely, this means that your friend’s account has been hacked and is being used to send malicious messages. Contact your friend, ask if he sent you this message and warn about a possible problem.

If the message you think may be of high importance (for example, from your bank), then call them. Do not share your passwords for banking, email, etc. with anyone. Official representatives have no right to ask about this.

Be selective on social networks, do not add everyone who asks you to be your friend. These people may try to obtain your personal information, send you messages to infected, fraudulent sites, or simply bombard you with advertisements. If you see suspicious activity, remove these people from your friends list.

IN Lately attackers also often use SMS and even calls for the purpose of deception. Do not send reply SMS or call the numbers provided, as this will charge money from your account. Do not follow links in SMS, they are now used to spread viruses on smartphones. Check all the information on official telephone numbers and on official websites, and not according to the contact information that was sent to you.

Recently, reports have become more frequent that something happened to your relative or that you won some very valuable prize (car, house, apartment, etc.) and they are asking you for money to settle some issues. Never trust such messages and check information through reliable channels. The main thing is to understand that no one ever gives anything to anyone for nothing. If you didn’t buy anything or register to participate in the promotion, then this is 99% a scam.

7.8. Phishing protection

To protect yourself from site spoofing through phishing, never click on links that are sent to emails. Open new page browser and go to the desired site from your bookmarks or enter the address manually.

All modern browsers have built-in phishing protection. If a site is determined to be phishing, then access to it is blocked.

Similar blocking windows may appear when malware is detected on a site.

But browsers can only detect fakes of the most popular sites or those sites that are blacklisted.

Comprehensive paid antiviruses, such as Kaspersky Internet Security and Dr.Web Security Space, combat phishing most effectively. Most popular free antiviruses also have phishing protection.

7.9. Protection against system vulnerabilities

To protect against vulnerabilities in your operating system, you need to install important updates regularly as these are mostly security updates. Go to Control Panel\System and Security\Windows Update\Customize Settings and check your update settings. I advise you to enable the installation of updates in automatic mode.

Despite the fact that the official Windows support XP has been discontinued and for some older computers it is the only system that provides sufficient performance and functionality. There is a way to extend security updates for Windows XP until April 2019. For this I made a special file that enters Windows registry small change. All you need to do is run it and agree to make changes to the registry.

After this, installation of security updates in Windows XP will last until April 2019.

You can download this file in the "" section.

7.10. Disabling unnecessary services

Another generally accepted method of protection is to disable unnecessary functionality. If potentially vulnerable components are disabled, then an attack on them is impossible. First of all, this concerns Windows services, which run on every computer and most often become targets for attacks. Many of them are not needed for normal operation of the computer, and disabling them also has a pleasant bonus in the form of increased system performance.

In order to disable unnecessary services, you need to go to the computer's control console. To do this, right-click on the “My Computer” or “Windows” (in Windows 8.10) icon and select “Manage...”.

Go to the Services section.

Now you need to right-click on the service that you want to disable and select “Properties”.

After that, set “Startup Type: Disabled” and click “OK”.

Now when you turn on the computer, the service will not start.

You can safely disable some services that are not network services. Also, if you do not have a local computer network, you can disable some network services. I have prepared a description of the most important services and recommendations for setting them up. You can download them in the "" section.

7.11. Protection against program vulnerabilities

To protect against vulnerabilities in programs, it is advisable to regularly update them to new versions. Most programs have a function to check for updates. As soon as an update for the program is detected, the user is prompted to install it. Do not neglect updating programs, especially those that work with the Internet (browser, Skype, torrent client, etc.).

7.12. Protection against network attacks

The best way to protect against network attacks is to disable unnecessary services, regularly update the operating system and programs in order to eliminate vulnerabilities that are used in attacks.

But there are also programs specifically designed to protect against network attacks, called firewalls. The principle of the firewall is that it does not allow Internet packets to enter the computer that contain data not requested by the user. For example, if you enter the address of a site in your browser, you will receive Internet packets containing the contents of the site in response, and the firewall will allow them through. Infected Internet packets arrive on the computer without the user’s request and the firewall blocks them.

Windows operating systems have their own built-in firewall called Firewall. If the system security is properly configured, it is usually sufficient. But there is also third party solutions, which are more advanced and reliable. If you have valuable confidential information on your computer or you actively work with payment systems, then additional protection in the form of a good firewall will not hurt.

The firewall is part of paid antiviruses, the best of which are Kaspersky Internet Security and Dr.Web Security Space. If you have such an antivirus, then your computer is reliably protected from network attacks and you do not need a separate firewall. In addition, such a solution will be the best in terms of compatibility of the antivirus with the firewall.

Of the free ones, the most popular firewall is Outpost Firewall Free, which can be installed from the comprehensive antivirus package Outpost Security Suite FREE and used in addition to any free antivirus. The disadvantage of this solution is possible conflicts between the antivirus and the firewall.

Most The best way Protect yourself from attacks from the Internet or your provider’s local network by connecting your computer via a router. The router has hardware firewall functionality. It hides your computer from hackers and securely blocks all unsolicited Internet packets before they even reach your computer. In addition, the router protects to some extent motherboard from electrical breakdowns on the part of the provider, which happens quite often.

But the router does not protect against attacks from infected computers connected through it to a home or office local network, but only against those that come from the Internet. Therefore, a software firewall must still run on every computer.

7.13. System backup

Even high-quality computer setup and adherence to security principles does not provide a 100% guarantee that some cunning virus will not penetrate the computer. But there is a remedy that will reliably protect you from the consequences of infection. This is a creation.

Built-in tool Windows recovery is not effective enough. Firstly, it only protects the most important system files, and the virus could be in another place. Secondly, viruses often penetrate the backup storage and are restored along with the system recovery, which brings down the entire backup system.

In order to create a reliable copy of the system, you need to set up your computer from scratch and make a full image of the “C” drive using a third-party program. Additionally, this will protect you from any failures in the system or software.

One of best programs backup is Acronis True Image, it is paid. But there is an excellent free alternative - Paragon Rescue Kit Free.

To successfully back up your system and then quickly restore it, you need to follow a few simple conditions.

User files should not be stored on the C drive, otherwise they will be lost when the system is restored. Please note that the files on the “Desktop” and in the “My Documents” folder are physically located on the “C” drive. Therefore, store all your files on another partition, such as the “D” drive.

Do not install games on the “C” drive, as they take up a very large amount of space, which will make it difficult backup and system recovery. Install games on another partition, for example on drive “D”.

Detailed instructions for using backup programs are available on the developer’s websites in the “” section.

7.14. File backup

A backup copy of the operating system is intended for quick recovery computer performance and complete elimination of viruses. But this will not protect your files if they are deleted or encrypted by a virus.

To protect your personal files, you should back them up regularly. You can simply copy files to a flash drive or external drive standard means, but this is not so convenient and can take a lot of time. It is better to use efficient synchronization algorithms for this.

For example, in the popular file manager Total Commander There is a directory synchronization function. Open the folder with your files on your computer disk in the left panel, and the folder on the flash drive in the right panel.
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Go to the “Tools\Synchronize Directories” menu.

Set all parameters as in the screenshot above and click the “Compare” button. After the comparison is completed, click the “Synchronize” button that becomes active.

One of the best free programs, designed specifically for file synchronization, is . Its operating principle is similar, but it works even better.

In the left panel, you specify the folders that you want to synchronize on the disk of your computer, and in the right panel, the folders on the flash drive or other place in which the files will be stored backups. After this, first click the “Compare” button and then “Synchronize”. For example, I synchronize my folders with a disk on another computer over a local network.

Synchronization takes significantly less time than copying files, since only new and changed files are copied. In addition, files that you deleted on your computer are deleted from the backup.

Remember! The question isn't whether you'll lose your files if you don't back them up, but when...

8. Additional methods of protection against viruses

In this section, we will look at additional less popular protection methods that you can use as you wish. However, some of them can significantly strengthen your computer's protection.

8.1. Protection against spies and keyloggers

Exist special programs to protect against spies and keyloggers. The most popular ones are Ad-Aware Free Antivirus+, Malwarebytes Anti-Malware Free, Spyware Terminator. But all modern antiviruses already have protection against spies and keyloggers, and the use of several simultaneously antivirus programs can lead to various problems.

8.2. Phishing protection plugin

If you are working with big amount social and payment services and want to have additional free protection, you can install a plugin for protection against phishing. One of the most popular is McAfee SiteAdvisor, which supports Firefox browsers and Chrome. It does not require any configuration, but simply blocks phishing and some other malicious sites.

Some antivirus programs, such as Avast, add similar plugins to browsers. The link to the McAfee SiteAdvisor plugin is in the “” section.

8.3. Protection using DNS servers

There are special secure DNS servers to protect against malicious sites. One of the most popular free DNS servers in RuNet belongs to the Yandex company (dns.yandex.ru).

It is enough to enter the address of a secure DNS server in the settings network card and all sites, before they load into your browser, will undergo a security check on the Yandex server. Several DNS servers are offered: without protection, with protection against malicious sites, and with additional protection against adult content (can be used on a child’s computer).

In Windows XP, go to Start/Control Panel/Network and Internet Connections/Network Connections.

In Windows 7, go to Start/Control Panel/Network and Internet/Network and Sharing Center/Change adapter settings.

In Windows 8.10, right-click on the Start button and select Network Connections.

Select Internet Protocol Version 4 and click the Properties button.

Enter the addresses of Yandex DNS servers.

After this, only verified safe sites will load in your browser.

8.4. Working from a limited account

If you're seriously concerned about computer security, it's a good idea to create a limited user account and work from there. This can be done easily through “Control Panel/User Accounts...”.

After this, a password is set for the Administrator account and it is used mainly for installing new programs and configuring the computer.

The fact is that a virus, having entered a computer or just launched in a browser, receives the authority of the user who is currently working on the computer. If the user works with administrator rights, then the virus will run with administrator rights and will be able to change any system files and registry settings. If you will be working under limited account, then if the virus does leak through a well-configured protection system, it will not be able to infect system files and register in startup, and it will be easier for an antivirus program to neutralize it.

8.5. System cleaning

Keep your operating system clean and tidy, then viruses will not be so comfortable in it. Use one of the popular programs to clean your system of garbage. They delete files from temporary folders of the system, programs and browsers. Viruses and malicious scripts often like to sit in these folders. In addition, you will save disk space.

For example, 360 Total Security antivirus has this functionality. I can recommend an excellent popular program. It monitors the cleanliness of the system and deletes temporary files every time the computer boots, a link to it is also provided below.

9. Links

Here you can download all the files that were mentioned in the article and will greatly help you in protecting your computer from viruses.

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The times of harmless viruses and SMS banners blocking access to the desktop are far behind us.

The trend of the last two years demonstrates increasingly tough steps by attackers to extort money from both corporate and private users. At refusal to pay the ransom(in the amount of 15,000 to 65,000 rubles), user data in some cases cannot be restored.

Outbreaks of one or another variant of the virus cover computers around the world within a few days. Developers of anti-virus programs sometimes do not have time, and sometimes are simply not able to match the algorithm to the malware. Therefore, the main task of the user is to maximize the independent protection of a PC or laptop from a possible attack by fraudsters.

Instructions given is universal against all types of malware and all versions of the Windows operating system (7, 8, 10).

The rules must be applied as a whole. Compliance with individual items does not guarantee the safety of the system and private files from attacks by intruders.

Instructions for protecting your PC and laptop from computer viruses

All of the above measures do not require the user to have special skills or pay any funds. If you have any difficulties completing them, you can always contact