This year marks yet another year of increased cyber attacks and breaches that are all over the news and you might be wondering how to protect yourself best. It is true that Microsoft includes Microsoft Windows Defender, a basic antivirus and anti malware product in their Windows 10 and 11 computers. In fact modern computers that come with Windows 11 installed, have built in enhanced security chip, Trusted Platform Module, that enhances the trust and protection of Windows.
What is a Trusted Platform (TPM) Module?
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Windows Updates Are Our Friends
This week yet another large number of cyber security holes are being patched by Windows updates. I will take a pause in writing this blog to ensure that I’ve installed those updates before moving on. Okay, now that I have that out of the way, back to this blog post.
5 reasons why you shouldn’t ignore Windows updates
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Windows Defender May Not Be Working
When you bought your most recent computer, did the salesperson mention buying a copy of Antivirus or Endpoint Security? Perhaps the Windows computer came with a free trial of McAfee or Norton. I had this experience the last time I bought a computer.
Computers that have an antivirus program installed disable the built-in Windows Defender. This is because antivirus programs often clash against each other and the first step the new Security software dose is disable the built in protection. This includes free antivirus software that may have been installed from the factory or even the free trial that you downloaded recently. We really do need Antivirus in Windows 11.
In order to protect your computer I recommend that you have a paid subscription to a endpoint security or antivirus program, running on your computer. The free trial is not good enough as it often lacks features such as regular scanning and real time protection.
How good is Windows Defender?
The free built in protection in Microsoft Windows 10 and 11 is actually very good. You will benefit from using this software to protect your computer.
Here’s a couple things to know to ensure that the software Windows Defender is actually working to protect your computer. If you’re running a free trial of some other antivirus software and or you have another software subscription that is expired such as McAfee or Norton or other. Microsoft Windows defender can’t work right. If your computer isn’t acting strange, as in it may have a virus right now, I do recommend uninstalling and removing the expired software and or free trial. Once this has been renewed removed you can go into the windows settings and security and ensure that the defender protection is turned on. A reboot may be required.
To ensure its turned on, here is a quick guide: How to enable Microsoft Defender – Help Centre (carleton.ca)
Windows Defender and other antivirus products update sometimes several times a day to ensure that they have the latest signatures and or fingerprints of bad software. It’s very important that the protection is not turned off and that the firewall on the computer is turned on.
All Seven’s Support Team is available on-call, 7 days a week, to help you with technical issues, including cybersecurity.
Network Discovery and Firewall
For that matter if you’re not using Windows file sharing between computers which is often used in business there is no reason to turn on network discovery. If you’re having troubles connecting your devices please reach out to your local computer technician where our team here at All Seven IT and Computers.
Malicious Scanner when you are in a Pinch
If you think you might have some malicious software on your computer Microsoft Windows has a built in security checker that may detect something and fix it. This isn’t perfect and doesn’t replace antivirus and endpoint security software.
To run this press Windows Key + R.
Type in MRT and hit enter.
When you run this program it will scan your computer for a number of popular viruses and malware and remove it and or provide next steps.
Business Security Software (EDR)
You will benefit from the above advice to protect your personal and family computers and laptops. If you own a business you will really benefit from having a minimum of something called endpoint detection and response otherwise known as EDR. This type of software, when installed on every single computer, combined with regular backups is an absolute minimum in the year 2024.
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Is My Business Really a Target for Hackers?
Malicious actors hackers and scammers sit around for coffee have lunch and work all day long planning how to break in and steal from companies just like yours. The old days of needing to be a big corporation that got attacked and is now in the news is not the same as the year 2024. Any business that receives e-mail and or is connected to the Internet is prime for attack. Remember I don’t mean to scare but you’ll benefit from having EDR on all your computers and regularly tested backups so that those folks having coffee right now won’t benefit from your misfortune.
All Seven IT and Computers’ team of specialized computer security consultants are here to design a solution for you. Please reach out to schedule a meeting to talk about your personal computers, your business and the benefits you will gain from this peace of mind protection.
If your business has been breached, and you need help with an action plan, you will benefit from calling our service line seven days a week.
All the best with this tip of free security protection on your personal computers and wishing you well.
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In 2023, about 1 in 6 (16%) Canadian businesses were impacted by cyber security incidents.
– Source: Statistics Canada, Impact of cybercrime
on Canadian businesses, 2023
