Morgan Freeman died twice this year, according to the Internet.
In reality, Freeman's very much alive and well. He was a victim of the all too common celebrity death hoax stories that often circulate the web. How often do you see people share totally untrue news stories on social media? It drives me nuts! (Here's a list of the most believed urban legends of this year)
Often we are too quick to buy into news, stories, or information that we're presented. When it comes to trading and technology, misinformation can cost you big.
At EZ Trading Computers, we hear our fair share of technology myths and misconceptions. Here's several of the most common I hear about viruses:
1. I Won’t Know How Or When My Computer Will Get A Virus.
Oddly enough, most often a computer virus doesn’t just sneak onto your trading computer. Here are a few of the most common ways we mistakenly invite a virus into our computers:
- Opening an infected email – It can be tempting to open and click on an email sent to you from someone you don’t know. When in doubt, do not open or click on emails from strange email addresses or people you don’t know. It’s incredibly common for viruses to be delivered this way.
- Visiting unsecure websites – The Internet, unfortunately, is full of bad guys. These hackers will go to incredible lengths to cause harm. It's more common than you would guess that entire websites are built just to infect visitors with computer viruses.
- Security Vulnerabilities – Often, security patches are released as updates to your computers operating system. If Windows knows about the security vulnerability, odds are hackers are aware of this loophole as well. This is why is so important to keep up on security updates to your computer.
The common denominator through all three of these possible computer virus entry points is, well, you – the user.
One of the most effective ways to guard yourself against a possible virus is to be cautious with where and what you click.
Computer viruses don’t often hide in the night and wait for you to turn your back so they can sneak into your system. They work in the light of day and depend on you to click on their bait to allow the virus to enter.
2. A Computer Virus’ Main Objective Is To Steal My Personal Information.
It’s a common misconception that a virus’ main objective is to steal your personal data.
A computer virus' #1 priority is to spread to as many users as possible.
The first thing a virus will look to do on your computer is to find more hosts. Typically, it will look to email and social media accounts to accomplish this task. Have you ever received a message from a friend that looked strange, with a link in the body of the email?
This is one of the most common ways that a computer virus spreads.
Next, the virus will infect your computer files causing them to become corrupt or completely delete the information.
You shouldn't open emails from people you don't know.
Don't click on links or attachments in suspicious looking messages.
3. If My Computer Has A Virus, I Wouldn’t Be Able To Tell.
Contrary to what you might guess, viruses are not quiet. In fact, they leave pretty obvious signs that they've set up shop in your computer. All you have to know is what to look for. Here are signs that you might have a computer virus in your trading computer:
- Unusual pop-ups
- Sudden slow performance
- Changes in the length of time it takes your computer to boot up
- Unusual error messages
- Your computer spontaneously crashes
- Strange activity in your email or social media accounts
If your computer has some of the symptoms, run a system check through your anti-virus software to scan for infected files. If you think you have a virus and are need help, our tech support team is assist in getting your EZ Trading Computer back to peak performance.
There are more trading computer tips like this in our buyers guide. Check out our "How To Buy a Trading Computer" e-book.
Remember, we are here to help with all your technology related questions. If you think of additional questions about computer hardware or other questions, give me a call. My team and I are here to help. We're happy to answer any of your questions about trading computers via phone: 800-387-5250
