The key to protecting your devices, computers and data from hackers is using secure pc software. Hackers (also called cybercriminals) are able to hack into your computer or other device for many reasons, including taking, altering, and deleting information you consider important. As opposed to other thieves, who typically have legitimate uses for the stolen items, hackers have malicious intentions. They are more interested in getting access to your sensitive data, often before you realize that something has gone wrong.

The three key steps to secure pc software are firewalls, passwords and virus protection. If you follow these best practices, your computer will be less likely to be compromised by malware, hackers, or ransomware (software that encrypts your information and www.pcinfoblog.com/best-data-room-providers-for-most-respectable-companies demands payment to unlock it).

Change the name of the administrator account. Choose a strong password containing upper- and lowercase letter numerals, numbers and computer symbols. Do not use a password that is simple such as 1234 since hackers can employ automated software to hack passwords that are easy to guess in minutes.

Update your operating system and other programs. Most software updates include security fixes that help protect against hacking. Install all patches and enable automatic updates if there are any, to limit the time you are vulnerable to hackers.

If you own a laptop, or any other portable device that is not being used, make sure the drive is secured. This is particularly crucial for UF Students. Windows allows users to enable encryption by clicking Settings > Update and Security > Device encryption. This will make it impossible to access the internal drive as well as all external drives, including SD cards.