Downloading torrents and illegal file sharing is a very
common
distribution
method
of malware and
may
inadvertently bring malicious software to your system.
Parental controls
A good way to reduce the possibility of reaching
offensive/obscene
content is to set up parental controls.
Parental controls allow users and parents to place content
filters on their computers while using the internet. Content
filters limit access to age-appropriate content and any
specified type of content the user may dislike.
Most parents agre hat parental controls are important to limit
children's access to unwanted content on the internet. Studies show[ they are under utilized or
often not implemented at all. There are two main forms of parental controls hardware and
software based systems.[9] Hardware parental controls are installed between household devices
and the internet service provider (ISP) such as a router with built in filtering. This parental
control can filter content on all devices on a network. Software based parental controls can
provide a more in depth solutions specific to each device it is installed on. These contr ols
usually run undetected[ and in the background. Software controls can provide logs, keystrokes,
and can range from broad to specific blocking mechanisms including limiting what children
see online, the length of time they have Internet access for each day and even specifying
times.
Third party programs
Antivirus and anti-malware programs
Antivirus and anti-malware programs help prevent infections from occurring as well as detect
and remove them from your computer. A variety of programs are available for use with
purchase such as Norton AntiVirus, McAfee VirusScan, and BitDefender Antivirus. There are
also a many programs available for download for free such as Microsoft Security
Essentials, AVG Anti-Virus, Avast! antivirus, and Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware.
Ad and pop-up blockers
Misleading ads and pop ups can contribute to the accidental downloading of malicious
software onto your computer. Most web browsers have internal pop-up blockers. These
programs/web browser plug-ins remove the ads.
Ciubotaru Rita Georgiana, Romania
Magazine Without Borders
Table of contents
Issue n°2
34