Malware attacks are becoming worryingly common for PC users. Every day, there’s a new story about how a PC user lost everything when a virus attacked his or her PC. Unfortunately, the reason why these viruses are so successful is because most people think “this could never happen to me.”
Nothing could be further from the truth, and I’m here to teach you how to be a smarter PC user in the fastest and easiest way possible. If you’ve already installed the powerful registry cleaning program PC Cleaner Pro, then follow the guide below to learn how to prevent about 80% of PC-borne malware attacks with just a few simple steps.
78% of malware attacks come from Java or Adobe Acrobat Reader
Most PC viruses have very little to do with the Microsoft operating system. Instead, they exploit third party programs like Java and Adobe Acrobat Reader. Studies over the years have pegged the percentage of virus attacks coming from these two programs at a whopping 78%. That’s right: nearly 4 in 5 virus attacks on your PC occur as a result of these two programs.
Fortunately, the creators of Java and Acrobat Reader aren’t idiots: they understand that their programs are vulnerable to attack, which is why they’re constantly releasing new updates to their software. These updates are generally released within days – or even hours – of an exploit being discovered.
So there are two things you can do to reduce your risk of being exploited through Java and Acrobat Reader:
-Uninstall Java and Acrobat Reader
-Regularly check for patches to Java and Acrobat Reader
Now, there’s nothing wrong with the first option. In fact, I recommend trying the first option before you try anything else. Once you stumble upon a document or website for which you need the program, install it again. If you never stumble upon a document or website that needs either program, then you’ve just made your PC significantly safer at no extra cost.
However, most people need to read .pdf files or access Java-based pages online. For these people, I recommend checking for updates by following the steps below:
How to update Java on a regular basis
-Every morning when your start your PC, go to the Windows Start Menu and search for java update then press Enter
-If Java is installed on your system, then you’ll start running a small application called java update which automatically scans for any available updates. If an update is available, Java will automatically download and install the update.
-Alternatively, you can visit this page on a regular basis (probably not every day) and let the site scan your system to see if you have the latest update. Click here to skip to the Java update check page.
How to update Adobe Reader on a regular basis
–Click here to visit the official Adobe Reader website and look at the latest updated version number (it’s right at the top of the page to the right of the ‘Adobe Reader XI’ heading
-Open Adobe Reader on your PC and go to Help > About to view your version number
-If your version is out-of-date, download the free update from here. I don’t recommend installing the McAfee Security Scan Plus, since that’s just part of a promotional agreement between Adobe and McAfee
If you can follow those simple tips I can guarantee that you’ve just avoided the vast majority of PC viruses and malware problems. When combined with a powerful scanner like PC Cleaner Pro, your PC’s defenses will be nearly impenetrable.
