Tips for keeping safe

Be careful with your email

Typically if an attachment is a .zip or an .exe file, you should be careful about opening it. Additionally, only open attachments from people you know.

Phishing is another type of email attack where you may receive an email that disguises itself as a website you may know in order to get you to enter your account information. Legitimate web sites will never ask for your account information in an email.

Avoid clicking on links in email. Instead, type the address in the browser so you know for sure where you are going and its not a fraudulent site.

Keep your Antivirus up to date

While no Antivirus software can protect you 100%, if you are running an older version of antivirus software (such as Norton Internet Security 2005) or if you aren't updating your virus definitions, you are at risk.

avoid file sharing programs

If you or your children use filesharing programs like Kazaa, Bittorrent, or Shareaza, you are likely to download software riddled with viruses and trojans.

If you must use these programs, be sure to scan all downloaded files with a good antivirus software prior to opening them.

Virus Protection, Detection, & REmoval

Viruses, worms, & spyware are more prevalent than ever. Malware can submit your personal information over the internet, trick you into divulging your credit card information, or even render your PC unusable. Ashley IT Services is skilled at detecting and removing viruses from infected machines, but we recommend you be proactive about protecting yourself to minimize the chances of your PC becoming infected.

Protection

We recommend protecting your PC by installing Eset's NOD32 antivirus software, but if you think you may already be infected we have other means of detecting and removing malware.
The bundled antivirus that came with your computer may not offer the best protection - check with us to ensure you have proactive protection against the latest threats

Detection

If your computer has been acting odd lately you may have a virus
Symptoms include
- PC runs slower than usual
- Suspicious popups (often disguised as antivirus software) occur after startup or when launching a web browser
- Google searches don't display expected results
- Emails being sent without your knowledge or permission

Removal

We are experienced at removing viruses without damaging your files or installed programs
If the virus cannot be removed, we can assist you in backing up your files, reinstalling Windows, and reinstalling your programs

Backup

We recommend you have a backup plan for your important files
Viruses can destroy your information and/or render your PC unusable
Once you have your computer set up how you like it, we can create a backup image for you so we can restore the system to that exact point if something goes wrong in the future

To request an appointment, click here.