Find one clean computer in the world, and I’ll show you three more that are riddled by viruses and malware. Most of us in the world are now aware of the issues that arise like the slow downs and the security problems, but when we use anti-viruses and protection, how does this problematic software make it through to our operating systems?

The hard truth is that most virus and malware issues are caused by the human element. People have a tendency to click on links and emails that contain embedded malicious software. This is normally not the fault of the person that is clicking on them as these elements are specifically designed to appear safe.

We’ve all seen these emails. They contain a non-assuming subject like “work from home” or “cheap pharmaceuticals” and don’t look like anything malicious. These sites usually contain a link that will download a file that starts all of the issues. These issues can range from the simple things like adware all the way to the really nasty issues like key loggers and replication viruses. We won’t go into what these specific threats actually do but suffice to say that one threat usually leads to another, and you really don’t want to have to deal with any of them.

As hackers become more sophisticated viruses have really become less of an issue, but malware issues have steadily increased. This is largely due to the fact that evasion techniques used by hackers have gotten better over time. This basically means that some viruses and malware are specifically created to be undetectable by current anti virus and anti-malware software.

No matter how good your software is, if you click on something that contains a virus or malware there is a much greater chance of infection. Sometimes we as people will fall for an especially creative trick like a window that pops up saying that we have a virus and we just need to “click here” and they will scan for you. This is usually accompanied by a download that appears to scan your computer but will in fact install a virus to your hard drive. These are normally self-explanative. but some people don’t know what to look for.

Microsoft and other companies do their best to keep us safe from security exploits in our software like Windows and Office, but while these exploits will be fixed, they still don’t remove the actual virus files. Fixing these exploits reduces the threat of the virus on your computer however. It can close off a feature that may share your personal information or can also fix components damaged by viruses. The importance of updating your operating system and other software cannot be stressed enough. These updates play a large part in keeping the information used on a personal level and a business level safe.

In conclusion, it is very important to keep your software up to date for the safety of the information in your system. Viruses and malware can create big issues in the performance of your computer. Now, it is also important to remember that just because your computer is performing poorly does not mean that you have a virus.

Fragmented hard drives can be a big issue that can cause your computer to slow down. This is fixed by running a simple defrag which is a program included in your windows software. If this doesn’t fix the issue, then other fixes must be pursued. Age becomes an issue for many computers. The average life expectancy for a computer for the average person is three to five years before major upgrades must be completed.

There are always exceptions to the rule, but the person that uses their computer for advanced tasks will find that their systems seem to perform poorly after that time. Many businesses can pull a little more life out of their systems, but it is important to determine when your computer starts to cost you money instead of making you money and replace those machines.

Is your computer costing you more in time and repairs than what a new computer can potentially make you? Then take your time back and replace those aging systems.

** On a side note we used the term "hacker" in this blog.  Not all hackers are bad. As a matter of fact, a good number of IT professionals began their journey in to technology as a "hacker."  Bad hackers that write viruses and break into systems and steal info are also refered to as "crackers."  Good "hackers" are the superheroes of todays IT world.  Hackers protect and secure your networks, those networks are where all your personal information is stored. In fact, many Fortune 500 companies hire hackers to manage their cyber security. The mask image we uploaded stands for anonymous, most hackers go buy a alias this allows them to stay anonymous in the real world.