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Four Easy Ways To Protect Your Laptop From The Latest Cybersecurity Threats

13 January 2021 by Brandon Stewart

A laptop can be such a valuable tool, but a laptop can also be one of the number-one ways you can be virtually taken advantage of or attacked. Every year, cybersecurity threats grow and more computer users are at risk. Here are four simple ways to protect your laptop from the latest cybersecurity threats. 

Turn off your laptop when it is not in use. 

One simple way you can avoid some types of cybersecurity threats is to simply turn off your laptop when it is not in use. Never leave the system on when you are not present and monitoring the computer. As an adage, turning off your internet and Bluetooth can thwart the risks of someone trying to remotely access the system when you are not present. 

Be sure to update your system and browsers accordingly. 

Some laptop users will turn off automatic updates on their system and on their browsers because they want direct control over when and what updates are added. What you may not know is updates often contain important security patches that thwart specific risks. When an operating system or browser is created, the program is created to withstand the security threats at that time. However, cybersecurity threats are consistently changing and evolving. Therefore, patches are designed as add-ons to the system and deployed through updates. 

Install active antivirus software. 

An active antivirus software continually works in the background of your laptop to monitor for threats. These programs are deemed as "active" because they can continue to work and scan your system even when you are not directing the program to do anything. 

Avoid downloading from questionable sources. 

One of the top ways general PC users get malware on their system is by downloading a file that contains hidden attachments. These days, you can find and download just about anything on the internet, from games and movies to music and software. Before you download anything, even if what you are trying to download is something small, make sure you are getting the file from a trustworthy source. Check the credentials of the host, use your antivirus program to scan the file before download, and always examine the contents of the file you are downloading. If you find anything suspicious, don't trust the file. Keep in mind you can always talk to a cybersecurity services provider to make sure what you want to download is actually safe. 

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