proteggere computer da attacchi hacker

How to protect your computer from hackers: 5 essential tips

Protect your computer from hacker attacks (or rather, gods cracker) does not require advanced technical skills: just adopt some essential safety measureswhich constitute the “base” from which to avoid the main online dangers when browsing the Internet from your PC. Regularly updating the software, creating complex passwords, backing up your data, using a reliable antivirus and paying attention to public Wi-Fi are some of the precautions that we will delve into in the next chapters and which will allow you to minimize the chances of falling victim of unwanted intrusions into your computer.

5 tips to protect your PC from hackers

Update programs and operating system

The first piece of advice we invite you to follow has to do withinstall new software updates promptlyand not only for application programs (i.e. the software we use to carry out various operations on the PC), but also those of the operating system. Whenever a software development company discovers vulnerabilities in its system, it releases updates to fix them. Ignoring these updates means exposing your computer to attacks. The security patches included in these updates aim to “close” loopholes that cybercriminals could exploit to access the data of their potential victims.

Use strong passwords and enable two-factor authentication

Use strong passwords it is essential to avoid unpleasant intrusions into your accounts and, consequently, your devices. Many attacks are perpetrated precisely because the chosen passwords are easy to guess (perhaps because they appeared in a data leak and have not been changed) or because they are reused for multiple accounts. A good password should be at least 12 characters long, include uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols, arranged randomly (if they are made up of meaningful words, they are not sufficiently secure passwords). Beyond that, it’s critical enable two-factor authentication or 2FA (2-Factor Authentication) which, by requiring a second level of verification (typically a code sent via SMS or generated via special apps) adds a higher level of security than the simple protection given by the username and password combination.

Make backups regularly

An aspect too often overlooked by many users has to do with theperforming regular backups of your PC. Since some malicious software (especially ransomware) can cause permanent loss of files, documents and photos. Making backup copies using the countless solutions available for this purpose – copies on cloud storage services, such as Google Drive and iCloud Drive, use of external hard drives or flash drives – will allow you to recover everything in the event of a cyber attack (or in the event of theft of the computer or, again, a sudden failure of its disk).

Make use of antivirus and firewall

The antivirus software it is another important “ally” to rely on to prevent cyber attacks. In addition to blocking viruses, these programs offer protection against malware and other online threats, preventing system slowdowns or file loss. When choosing an antivirus, don’t just stop at the cost: evaluate the ability to detect malware, the protection of emails and downloads and the compatibility with your computer. And if you have a Mac, don’t believe the “fairytale” according to which macOS cannot be attacked by cybercriminals: it cannot be infected with the same malware as Windows, but this does not mean that it cannot be attacked with malicious software written specifically for the system Apple desktop operating system. For this reason, we also advise you to use good antivirus software in this case… you never know!

A further useful tip is to keep network traffic under control through the use of a firewall. This security system, available both as software and hardware, serves to separate two different networks, blocking any unauthorized access attempts. It is no coincidence that the term “firewall” can be literally translated as “wall of fire”, which gives an idea of ​​the important role it plays in protecting your computer. On both Windows and macOS there is a default firewall, active by default, which can be disabled if necessary, for example if certain software has problems attributable to the latter. The advice we give you is, in these cases, to However, avoid disabling the firewall; much better to access its settings and “surgically” unblock Internet access only for the software that is actually having problems due to the firewall.

Connect to public Wi-Fi only with a VPN

If you use your computer to connect to the Internet via public Wi-Fi in bars, hotels, restaurants and other public places, be careful to do so using a private network or VPN (Virtual Private Network): through this, in fact, you can encrypt your communications and prevent unscrupulous attackers from exploiting unprotected wireless networks to steal your data while you are connected to them. If you can, however, avoid connecting to “free” Wi-Fi altogether.