The news regarding the attacks in cyberworld are sobering. Hackers are becoming more aggressive. Phishing attacks are becoming more clever. There’s just no excuse not to be safe. Free antivirus software is available.
Having been the victim of Internet crime, I am cautious. I educate myself so I can recognize scams. Just the other day I received an email purporting to be from Northwest Airlines with my ticket attached. Ticket, no. According to NWA, it was a virus.
Though I’m good about backups for my paintings and my blogs, the fact that my work is on a computer that I use to access the Internet is cause for concern. It should be for you too. While threats are increasing, antivirus software programs are becoming smarter. New programs will warn you about potential phishing sites. That’s important because the scams are becoming harder to detect.
In order to protect your computer and your work, you need a plan.
1. Install and keep up-to-date your antivirus software.
It does little good if you’re not keeping it current. New viruses appear daily.
2. Have a back up plan in place for your computer.
Many free and paid options are available. You can store your data free remotely if you have your own website. Web applications also offer remote back up options. Personally, I like to be in control of my data. A USB thumb drive or an external hard drive keeps your data where you want it.
3. Back up your blog.
If you’re running a self-hosted WordPress blog, backup plugins provide that extra bit of security. Back ups can be emailed to you so in the event your site breaks, you can restore all your hard work.
4. Educate yourself.
Learn about the threats. Learn to be cautious. Case in point was the phishing attack on Twitter a couple of weeks ago. Direct messages contained a link to a phishing site with the aim to get passwords. Just because it’s the latest buzz, stand back and wait before you jump on the bandwagon. Scams are quickly exposed.
It’s not easy being an artistna in today’s world. Certainly your work is worth the protection of good antivirus software and some education.
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