If you’ve spent any time in the comments section of articles dealing with online security, you’ve probably seen numerous people hastily claiming that antivirus software is no longer necessary in our day and age. This argument usually revolves around the idea that you can avoid getting a virus simply by being a responsible Internet user. That is, by not clicking on suspicious looking links, visiting shady websites or opening chain emails. While this is true to an extent – you can reduce the risk of encountering malware by practicing common sense online, there are no foolproof personal strategies against virus infection. Sadly, cyber criminals have a keen understanding of most people’s online behavior, including the fact that people tend to avoid the more obvious signs of malicious activity, so they adapt their techniques accordingly.
Seemingly innocuous day to day stuff – like viewing an ad on a web page without even clicking on it, or searching for and clicking on images of your favorite actor – can potentially become vectors for infection. Unfortunately, pre-click malware is capable of auto-running on the user’s computer without having to ask for permission. One common example is the automatic redirect, which takes the user from the page they wanted to visit to another website altogether, which may be malicious. This type of malvertising often affects the ads of brands you know and trust. Cyber criminals prefer to infect the online ads of reputable brands because they know that means users are less likely to expect foul play. Promotions that work by redirecting users to a landing page are particularly vulnerable since most people expect to be redirected anyway by clicking on the ad.
Images from search engine results can be used to trick unsuspecting users in a number of ingenious ways. While it’s not likely to become infected simply by viewing the thumbnail images from Google’s image search results, you can, for example, become infected if you click on a thumbnail to view the image. This happens because the browser communicates with the site where the image is stored, running a background script in the process.
If it’s not humanly possible to avoid all malware using common sense alone, what can you do to protect your data online? Security suites such as Bitdefender Internet Security 2017 are an ideal option for home computer users because they include a range of helpful features, as well as round the clock support from qualified technicians.
In light of the recent high-profile GoldenEye ransomware attack that has swept across several European countries, solid ransomware protection has become an essential aspect in securing user files for work or school. During a ransomware attack, cybercriminals use special malware developed to gain access to computers and encrypt important documents, or even the entire hard drive. They then demand a ransom to release the decryption key. However, if the user is running a Bitdefender antivirus product, important documents can be stored and secured separately. If a ransomware attack does occur, Bitdefender’s defenses kick in and the user is notified of the breach attempt.
It can be argued that modern malware has evolved beyond the typical definition of a classic ‘computer virus’. It is often much more subtle, more sophisticated, untraceable and insidious than the computer viruses of the late ‘1990s – early 2000s. Unfortunately, it’s also capable of doing widespread damage, as we’ve seen with ransomware attacks in the last couple of years. This can leave you in need of hassle-free solutions that can guarantee you’ll always stay a step ahead of cyber criminals. Although it is ultimately up to each user to decide whether they want to invest in an online security suite, bear in mind that without dedicated protection you’re always vulnerable to some degree, no matter how careful you are.
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