In our year-end roundup of the worst malware threats of 2017, we compared malware to actual biological viruses, in that both are ever-evolving phenomena. For example, you know how it’s recommended for certain demographics to get a flu shot every year?  The rationale is simple: The flu virus itself is never identical from year to year, meaning that […]

BitTorrent is a popular way to download content from the internet. It comes with many risks, though, including bandwidth throttling by your ISP and possible malware infection. Use alternatives or, at the very least, guard your activity with a VPN.

Public wireless networks and hotspots are not secure, which means that anyone could potentially see what you are doing on your mobile device while you are connected. Limit what you do on public WiFi and avoid logging in to key accounts like email and financial services on these networks. Consider using a virtual private network […]

The recent VPN Filter malware revealed the abundance of security issues in many of the Internet routers we rely on every day. One vulnerability you can close right away involves universal plug and play (UPnP), a service for automatically configuring some devices on the network. Turn it off unless you’re sure you need it.

You’ve got your bags packed and plane tickets in hand. You feel all set and ready for your big trip, so make one last check to see if you forgot anything. At this juncture, it’s important to think about whether you’re leaving home without having set up some crucial defenses against malware, identity theft and […]

Passwordless public Wi-Fi is unencrypted, meaning your data can be intercepted while using it. Consider setting up a virtual private network (VPN) to encrypt your connection and shield your activities from prying eyes on public networks. Short of that, look for “semi-public” alternatives such as coffeeshop/restaurant Wi-Fi with a requestable password (usually on a receipt) […]