Fighting the battle with malware can really hurt your business when you have to spend a great deal of your IT budget on software to protect your machines from infection. Here are some tips to do it for free.

First, let’s start with a definition of “malware” so that we are on the same page. Malware is malicious software (e.g. viruses, trojans, worms, adware, etc.) that is designed to secretly install on your computer with the sole purpose of wrecking havoc to the code or harvesting data.

There are a few free tools we’d like you to be aware of that will help you create a “first line of defense” against an attack. While no “over the counter” software is a guaranteed cure-all, you can certainly decrease the effects of malware and save your organization dollars over the course of the year as a result of fewer attacks.

You can fight malware with these free tools:

1. Combofix - this software will assist in tracking down and removing malware. Make sure to disable your antivirus software first before running Combofix.
2. CCleaner - this handy tool does two things well. It cleans the Windows registry and removes cached web data. It’s a good idea to do a backup of your registry before running this tool, but plan on experiencing a faster computer with less problems afterwards.
3. Microsoft Security Essentials - looking for an antivirus program that is effective and causes little drain on your system? This tool is it, and the cost is zero.
4. Malwarebyes - it always amazes us when clients are surprised that they need anti-spyware software in addition to antivirus protection. While antivirus software is effective at protecting against viruses, there is a long laundry list of other types of malicious code (a.k.a. malware) that you have to protect your machine against. That’s where Malwarebyes comes into play.
5. Clonezilla - one of our favorite tools for creating “clones” of your machine so that you can perform a restore in the future should something catastrophic happen to your data.

There are many tools on the marketplace for businesses to use to protect their data and increase their company productivity. These 5 programs are a great place for you to start. Just keep in mind that not all computer problems are created equal and there is still a possibility that you will run into a situation that requires professional intervention. We are happy to assist if such a situation were to arise; however, we do feel it is important to educate our clients and enable them to implement steps they can perform on their own.

As each day passes, and we enter further into the technology age, people become more reliant on computers to play vital roles in their personal and business lives.

It’s interesting to note that although this phenomenon continues to progress each year, the average computer user does not take any preventative measures to preserve their personal data, programs, and overall daily workflow.

That is why we decided to dedicate this month’s home-user article on helping our clients plan ahead to prevent any dreadful circumstances that can come from relying so heavily on a device that is not preserved in some backup state.

We’ve prepared a quick guide to creating your personal “home computer first aid kit,” you can have peace of mind in knowing that your pictures, videos, programs, files, settings, banking data, etc. are recoverable should your computer crash or hardware fail.

3 Elements of a “Home Computer First-Aid Kit”

1. You’ll want to start by bringing your computer to a perfect state of operating. Many times this can be acheived by re-installing Windows, updating your Windows updates, optimizing your personal settings, installing all of your favorite programs, organizing your personal folders and files, etc. We realize this is a lengthy step to take, but it is important to establish a “perfect state of operation” where your computer is running at optimal performance.
2. The next step is to create a “system image” of your hard drive. There are various tools you can use to create an image of your computer. In layman’s terms, a “system image” is like taking a picture of your hard drive that can be stored on a DVD (or two). That “picture” can then be restored onto your hard drive at any time. If your computer ever crashed, or you were interested in purchasing a new hard drive, this “system image” would come in handy as a convenient way to restoring your computer back to that perfect state.
3. The next step in creating a “Home Computer First-Aid Kit” is to choose an online or offline backup system. There are websites online that will automatically backup your personal files (e.g. pictures, videos, music, software data, etc.). You can also purchase an external hard drive that has auto-backup capabilities.
4. Once you have your “system image” and auto-backup system in place, you’ll have peace of mind in knowing that your data, programs, settings, etc. are all recoverable.

We realize that some of these steps are advanced and not everyone would feel comfortable performing them. Many of our clients hire us for the re-install, system imaging, and auto-backup installation. You are welcome to implement these steps yourself. If you feel you would rather a professional handle them, we are happy to assist.

We cannot stress enough how important it is to protect your computer. We receive calls every week from clients who’ve lost everything, and it can be an extremely sudden and costly situation to be in. You can prevent this from happening to you if you go in with a plan.

Many small business owners overlook the need to implement strict security policies within their network. These policies are vital to protecting your prized digital assets.

Consider the threats to your business network and PC security:

1. Domain Privileges 

   It’s important to lock down your computer systems and set access permissions appropriately according to the user. Only senior-level IT staff should have full access to your network. The rest of your employees should be limited in their ability to provide changes to the system. Many small and even large businesses setup their receptionists with domain administrative privileges. This means that anyone who sits at the receptionist desk (an intern?) can access every piece of data, sensitive file, credit card record, username/password, stored in your system.

2. Passwords 

   Do you require your employees to change their passwords once a month? Do you require that the password uses uppercase letters, lowercase letters, and numbers? Do you strictly prohibit your employees from using their name, birthday, company name, or telephone number as part, or all, of their password?These are the types of password policies you should be considering. Many business owners leave it up to their employees to choose any password they like. This opens up the possiblity of your staff choosing easy-to-remember passwords. Simple passwords are easy-to-guess by a hacker.

Making policy changes within your organization does not have to be a difficult task. Many times it involves writing out a one-page summary sheet and holding a staff meeting to implement the change.

The F1 key is a powerful feature in Windows. Many people are unaware that they have a little technician hiding inside their computer, waiting to provide solutions to questions or problems you have with your computer’s hardware and software.

The F1 key, when pressed in any program, instantly activates the help features within that particular environment. If you press F1 while on your desktop, the Help and Support features launch. If you’re in Outlook and Press F1, the Help dialogue box appears. Although the help that is provided can be generic, it does include answers to common questions, instructions on various tasks and solutions to problems. The information waiting within the F1 key is very useful, and it may just be a lifesaver for you the next time you find yourself in a tough spot.

F1 can help you setup printers, activate remote desktop support, utilize file sharing, and implement other tasks that will help you get the most out of your Windows experience. So the next time you want to know how to add a signature to your Outlook, or how to defragment your computer, simply press the F1 key for help.

Now, of course, there are situations you will run into where a professional is needed. In those cases, we hope you will keep us in mind as your “go to” computer repair experts. Just give us a call and we’ll be happy to assist.