I have been a half year without a single antivirus installed on my computer ... and nothing has happened to me! Not a single virus. Not a single cyber-annoyance . Nothing. Zero.
What is my secret? It was as simple as realizing that today there are great alternatives to traditional antivirus to such an extent that if he acted with caution would not need to invest a single penny in antivirus.
You can also live without antivirus , as long as you follow these directions.
Updates from your browser or from your Operating System
Many of the protections that only five years ago found in antivirus ( such as anti-phishing tools) already come preinstalled in your Operating System and even in your browser.
But none of these protections will be useful if you have your OS or browser outdated. Without going any further, Google takes your security so seriously that it automatically updates Chrome , whether you want it or not . And so does Windows.
Do these updates thwart you because your installation process makes you lose time or because you do not trust the changes that they flag? Keep in mind that the vast majority of current hacks occur because of security holes that companies patched with updates ... that many users postpone installing them until it's too late . They would not have been hacked if they had not updated their software.
Tips for navigating with ease
The favorite program of many people today is their browser. Having it keeps you updated protected , of course, but it is worth adding a couple of additional layers of security.
To get started, do not install more extensions or plug-ins than you need . Many of these extensions are either not updated as much as they should (which opens up many possibilities to hackers) or are malicious per se.
Do you browse very often using public Wi-Fi? Do you travel often? It may be worth investing the money you were going to use in an antivirus to have powerful VPN software that protects your data.
Trust this pre-installed "antivirus"
If you have Windows 10 means you have Windows Defender preinstalled, the great anti-virus program that runs if you have not installed any other protection. In fact, Windows 10 not only has this program but also includes filters that alert you to suspicious web pages, not forgetting that your OS will use the cloud to protect you from multiple threats (basically Microsoft has created a large database Through the interconnection between all the computers that have Win 10).
Do you need an extra firewall?
As with the protections that already come standard in Operating Systems, most routers come with a firewall that far exceeds its function . Honestly, I would only recommend adding another firewall if you feel uneasy about it. The free ZoneAlarm is a good option.
The antivirus you do not need to install
Do you know about VirusTotal ? It is a service in the form of a web page where you can upload a suspicious file to inspect with your engine and the data you have obtained thanks to previous requests from other users.
Come on, and another extra trick. If you use Chrome, I recommend Web of Trust , a free extension (also available for Google Play) that tells you if the page to which you are about to click is safe or not.
Being illegal or filthy has its price
Let's face it: 99.9% of the current problems related to antivirus come from negligent browsing . You can have the best antivirus on the market, you can have your Operating System updated and you can use the best password manager you want, but if you frequent pages of illegal downloads or pages for suspicious over 18 years (clues: usually the pages with videos free ), Your computer will become infected yes or no.
Negligent navigation is not an accident. One does not go according to which pages due to a scandal. In this type of cases it is you, and only you, the culprit of the infection . No hacker has come to go into your computer, but it was you who jumped directly into the wolf's mouth.
If you navigate carefully, there will be one 00.1% chance of being a victim of a virus.
Keep young people under control
If you have teenagers at home using your computer, they may be navigating through pages of dubious reputation. In these cases you may want to restrict access to certain programs or pages to younger users or directly resort to a parental control program . Or you can give them a talk.
How to spot a fraudulent email
No antivirus or any of the alternatives listed here will protect you 100% of malicious emails. In this case you must resort to your common sense: distrust of any unexpected mail regardless of what the subject promises you, activate the alarms if you see misspellings or a strange syntax ...
And what about Mac?
Do you need to install an antivirus for your macOS? The answer is the same with Windows: no, if you use common sense.
While it is true that more and more attempts to invade Macs, because more and more users, Apple has its App Store closed. If you do not go there installed unauthorized apps in strange places, it is only advisable to install an antivirus if your absence prevents you from sleeping at night.
And with the mobiles?
If you have not skipped any indication until now, this tip will sound: if you keep your Operating System updated and only install apps through the official stores, the risk is almost nil. As in the desktop world, most viral intrusions come from security breaches that are remedied by updating the mobile or suspicious apps found on even more suspicious pages.
Attention to that to the "almost null". There is nothing absolute in this life. In March 2017, cyber security company Check Point discovered malware pre-installed on Android phones . That is, the virus came from the factory, so to speak. But, in this case, how to protect yourself from something that comes standard and should not happen?
If you have installed a mobile antivirus, you will notice that these security apps prioritize their anti-theft or data protection functions and leave aside their most basic function, which is to eliminate viruses. That's because in the mobile world there is more chance of your data being stolen. Take care of your mobile unlock. For example: choose a key or a long unlock pattern, reduce unlock time as much as possible , disconnect Siri from the lock screen if you have iPhone and disable notifications of content that can reveal private information without even having to unlock the mobile.
As with desktop, if you use many public Wi-Fi networks, you might find it easier to install a VPN instead of an antivirus.
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