Be careful out there. The Internet is the wild, wild west of modern day.
I am a very careful computer user. I have been using computers since before the IBM PC ever came to market (that was 1981, in case you don't know). I can spot a computer issue or tentative threat a mile away. I worked in the industry for many years and I have also been a technical writer and editor.
Over the years, I have had two incidents where my own computer somehow got infected with a virus or some sort of malware. The first time, I could credit a good friend who brought over floppy disks with the marijuana stoned virus on them. It was a boot sector virus and I killed it as soon as it was discovered.
The second time was a recent event. I was searching the 'net for an Android image file that would enable me to root-kit a Lenovo A7600 tablet and install a previous version of that operating system on the device to rid it of a wi-fi issue that is inherent in "KitKat" incarnation of the OS.
To make a long story short, I succeeded in root-kitting the tablet and installing "Jelly Bean" (I hate those silly CANDY NAMES). But somewhere along the line, I clicked a link that was supposed to take me to a site to download the image of the tablet's older operating system. It was click-bait mimicking a real tech site.
I had a trojan on my computer. I spotted an unknown folder on my computer and investigated. Well, how about that.
Enter Microsoft Security Essentials.
The trojan was first quarantined, then deleted, problem solved. Lucky for me I am very careful and use a secure browser for trusted sites and business. I also have multiple devices and use different systems for different work.
For me, a computer is a tool, not a toy. It is a means to an end. That is why I am always so careful.
If you can learn anything from my account, it is this:
If a long-time computer professional can get infected, so can you. There are lots of vulnerabilities in today's computers. With all of this technology and all of these connected devices, the world-wide-web has become the bastion of rebels and hackers. It is the wild-wild-west of our time.
Be careful. Avoid porn sites, music trading sites, file-swapping sites, and any site with game cheats and browser enhancements like search-bar tools. They are malware. Don't use instant messenger tools, they are a portal to your hard drive. Don't open attachments unless you know what they are and they come from a trusted source. If you have anti-virus software on your computer, right-click on the attachment and scan the file before opening it.
I hate the performance hit that you take from anti-virus software, but, Microsoft has done a great job with Security Essentials and Windows Defender. Over all, those two programs should keep your computer safe and any performance hit is marginal.
Be careful out there.
