We are all appreciative of computer repair services that help us get back on our digital feet. Given our reliance on computers to do more and more for us in daily life, keeping our computers in good health has become increasingly important, and the sting of having a computer get knocked out of action by some kind of breakdown or malware attack is increasingly frustrating and disruptive.

Repair services remain essential, of course, but what else can we do to better protect our computers in the first place? Here are a few ideas to get you started:

1. Use Firewalls and Antivirus Software

You might sometimes think that the antivirus software or firewall is that irritating thing that slows up the booting up process of your operating system, or that sometimes interrupts your activities with pop-up warnings and messages. In fact, in the modern Internet climate, the antivirus software and firewall are arguably the 2 most important features on your computer.

With malware positively everywhere, it’s imperative that you keep your built-in software fully up to date to ensure that it is equipped to deal with all the latest threats. If your computer has still been compromised before, you might try upgrading to something stronger, which may take a little investment, but it will better protect your computer moving forward.

2. Keep All Software Up to Date

As we touched on above, investing in the right software isn’t enough in the longer term. That antivirus program has to be updated continuously so that it is capable of removing all of the most current threats against your computer and your data.

Remember that far from simply wanting to make your computer grind to a halt, issuers of malware now have far more sinister motives to steal your personal data to commit identity theft, an issue that can cause great suffering financially and emotionally in families. So, never ignore an update reminder, and keep your software at its best.

3. Get Better at Making Stronger Passwords

For some, the simple solution for passwords is just to use the same one for every account, or perhaps cycle through a handful of variations. For those looking to steal your data, this approach can be a Godsend. If they can only break one of your passwords, then the others can fall like dominos.

There are 2 main steps you can take to better protect your accounts. The first is to become proficient at creating strong passwords --- ones that use both upper and lowercase letters, as well as numbers and special characters like $, #, or ! where allowed --- and the second is to use a strong and dependable password managing service that will store your passwords securely in case you ever need to check one when called to enter manually. Otherwise it can store and enter your passwords automatically for you, keeping them heavily encrypted and protected.

4. Steer Clear of the Pirates

In the age of rising costs from streaming services, it’s tempting to revisit those pirate websites where we used to enjoy downloading free movies and TV series in our poorer college days. Resisting that temptation is critical if you want to keep your computer secure. Pirated content inevitably carries a greater risk of malware, and should therefore be avoided.

5. Be Mindful of Email Links and Attachments

Next, always be mindful of suspicious emails and attachments. This is advice that has been in place since the 1990s, but it still holds true to this day. Email scammers continue in their efforts to deprive us of money and personal data privacy. Some are more sophisticated than others, of course, but the basic principles are always the same, to get you either to pay money or hand over sensitive information, and often both.