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In this in dept tutorial, you will learn everything you need to know about the types, symptoms, protection, prevention, detection and removal of malware (computer virus, ransomware, spyware, adware, rootkits, trojan horse, worms, etc..).

Everything explained in an easy way.

What is Malware?

Malware short for "malicious software" is software that is specifically designed to damage or disrupt a system, steal information (spy on you), or destroy data.

Malware is a broad term used to describe many different types of malicious programs.


Malware Types

Common Malware types are:

· Computer Virus - A computer virus is a malware that surreptitiously enters into a system that is capable of copying itself and spreading to other computers. Viruses can perform harmful activities on an infected PC such as corrupting the system or destroying data.

· Spyware  - secretly monitors your activities and gathers your information through your Internet connection without you knowing about it.

· Adware - shows unwanted advertisements on your computer and generate revenue for its creator. These advertisements are often in the form of annoying pop-ups (windows).

· Rootkit - is a collection of tools (programs) that are designed to remotely access or control a computer or network without being detected. Rootkits are difficult to detect because they are activated before your system's Operating System has completely booted up.

· Trojan Horse - (also known as a "Trojan") disguises itself as a normal file or program to trick users into downloading and installing malware.

· Worm - is capable of copying itself and spreading to other computers. It uses networks to spread itself and causes harm by using a lot of bandwidth (this makes your internet slow) or possibly deleting files or sending documents via email. Worms can also install backdoors on computers. The difference between a worm and a computer virus is the way they spread – worms spread across networks and viruses attach themselves to various programs and executable codes.

· Ransomware - prevents or limits users from accessing their system or data. It forces its victims to pay the ransom through certain online payment methods in order to grant access to their system, or to get their data back.

· Keylogger - runs in the background and records every keystroke you make (everything you type on your keyboard). These keystrokes can include usernames, passwords, credit card numbers, and other sensitive and personal data. The keylogger will share this information with its creator.

· Botnet - (also known as a zombie army) is a network of malware infected computers which are controlled by the creator of the botnet (cybercriminal). Each computer functions as a "bot" because it's infected with a specific type of malware. A botnet can be used to send spam emails, transmit malware, perform DDoS attacks and perform other malicious tasks.

· Rogueware - often pretends to be security software such as antivirus and anti-malware software, but can also pretend to be other software such as system cleaners. This type of malware is simply misleading (fake) software that asks users to pay money for removing fake problems and threats. When a PC is infected with Rogueware, the Rogueware will give warnings in an aggressive (annoying) way and if you want to try to remove these so-called problems or threats (found by the rogueware), you will probably be redirected to the payment page where you will need to purchase the so-called software to remove the (fake) problems and/or threats.
Malware Symptoms (Signs)
Some Malware symptoms (signs)are:

· Computer, programs and internet connection run slower than usual

· Your web browser often freezes (hangs or unresponsive)

· Annoying unwanted pop-up windows and ads appear

· System or programs regularly crash

· Hard drive continues to have excessive activity — even when you don't use it

· Sudden increase of disk space on your hard drive

· Unusual high network activity when not using your web browser

· Your web browser's home page has been changed

· A new toolbar is placed at top of your web browser

· You want to open a website, but you are sent (redirected) to another (different) website

· Unusual messages appear

· Unusual programs start automatically

· Your antivirus program and/or its shields and update function is turned off (disabled)

· Your friends are receiving strange (weird) messages and/or emails from you (which you didn't sent)

· You're blocked from getting access to your system and get forced to pay money (ransom) to regain access again

· You are unable to access the Windows Control Panel, Task Manager, Registry Editor or Command Prompt

· Your computer automatically plays music

· There are new unknown icons on your desktop

· Your computer restarts (reboots) by itself (turns automatically off and on)
Malware Protection

Believe me, the BEST malware protection is YOU.

You can have the best malware protection on your computer, but even the best anti-malware (antivirus) software can fail to detect new malware.

Malware threats have grown significantly in the past decade. These threats grow so fast, that antivirus programs take too long to catch up with malware (even the best programs).

Therefore, the best protection is yourself.

You might be wondering:

What exactly do I mean?

Well, if you do any of the following:

· Use illegally downloaded software on your computer

· Install "free" software without checking it out first (reviews).

· Click on "OK", "Yes", "Continue" or "Run" when a pop-up window appears and asks you to install unknown software.

· Click on links in emails you don't trust.

· Download and open email attachments you don't trust.

· Ignore security warnings from Windows or your antivirus program

· Never update your operating system (Windows) and software

· Don't use antivirus software

· Use an unsecured web browser

Then there's a good chance that your computer will get infected with malware.

There's no better malware protection than yourself, so pay attention with everything you do online and offline.

Anti-Malware (Antivirus) Software

You should always use antivirus software on your computer – even when antivirus programs can't protect you 100% against all malware.

Still, It's better to have some protection than no protection at all. And a good antivirus software can protect you against most known malware.

You should always install and use only one (1) antivirus program on your computer.

The use of multiple antivirus programs on a PC is a very bad idea! Why?

· They might attack each other: because one of them might think that the other one malware is because it's monitoring your system (same like spyware or other malware) and then it will attempt to block and remove it. (Just like having different species of dogs to protect your home. lol)

· They will fight over malware: when one of them detects, removes and places malware in quarantine, then they other program might also detect the same malware (even when the other program already has it in quarantine) and then it will also try to remove the malware and place it in quarantine. Then you will keep getting the same notifications about this malware over and over again.

· They will make your system slow: Because antivirus programs are always running in background, they use a lot of your system memory to perform system scans and other related tasks. So your system will become slower when using two antivirus programs.

There are so many free and paid antivirus programs out there that it's difficult to choose one.

If you are looking for a good paid antivirus program, then Bitdefender and Kaspersky are good options. Bitdefender and Kaspersky always have very high scores in antivirus tests (AV-tests), like AV-TEST and AV-Comparatives.

If you are looking for a good free antivirus program, then the free versions of Bitdefender and Kaspersky are good options.
Extra Anti-Malware Software
You can use additional free anti-malware software and services together with your current antivirus program, like:

· Malwarebytes: free version doesn't offer real-time protection, but can be used for scanning and removing malware. The paid version offers real-time protection.

· Bitdefender Anti-Ransomware Tool is a free security tool that can protect against existing and emerging ransomware attacks. Can be used with your current antivirus software.

· RansomFree by Cybereason is a free security tool that can protect against existing and emerging ransomware attacks. Can be used with your current antivirus software.

· ESET Online Scanner: is a second opinion scanner for scanning and removing malware.

· Norton Power Eraser: is a second opinion scanner for scanning and removing deeply hidden and difficult to detect malware.

· Kaspersky TDSSKiller: detects and removes the following malware Rootkit.Win32.TDSS, bootkits and rootkits.

· Emsisoft Emergency Kit: contains a collection of programs that can be used without installation to scan for malware and clean infected computers.

· AdwCleaner: is a removal tool for adware, toolbars, PUPs (Potentially Unwanted Programs) and Hijackers (Hijack of the browser's homepage).

· VirusTotal: is a free online service that analyzes suspicious files and URLs and facilitates the quick detection of viruses, worms, trojans, and all kinds of malware. It uses different antivirus engines, website scanners, file and URL analysis tools and user contributions.

· Windows Defender Periodic Scanning (Windows 10 only): scans your PC periodically for malware and will remove the malware it finds. It's intended to offer an additional line of defense to your existing antivirus program's real-time protection. You can also perform manual scans with this feature.

· Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool: is a second opinion scanner for scanning and removing malware.

If you think your system is infected with malware or you don't trust a file, then you can use the above mentioned programs to scan for malware and try to remove malware.

The good thing about malware scanners is that you can use them alongside your current antivirus software. Which means you get the chance to use another antivirus program on your system without any problems.
Malware Prevention Tips

You can prevent malware by following these tips:

· Keep your operating system and software always up-to-date

· Use a firewall (Windows firewall is enough).

· Always take security warnings from Windows or your antivirus program seriously. Never ever ignore security warnings!

· Don't download and use pirated software.

· Never click on "OK", "Yes" or "Run" when a pop-up window appears and asks you to download and install unknown software.

· Never click to fast on "Next", "Install", "OK", etc... when installing software, because you might install extra unwanted third-party software (like toolbars). If you see extra offers, then uncheck all their checkboxes.

· Always download software from the official link or from a trusted website.

· Don't click on links in emails from unknown senders.

· Don't download and open email attachments – unless you can verify the source.

· Check free software before downloading and installing it onto your computer. Just Google the software first and look for reviews or forums.

· Use a secure and safe web browser like Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox and keep it updated.

· Disable or uninstall Java if you don't need it.

· Disable or uninstall Adobe Flash Player if you don't need it. You can also disable Flash Player in your web browser.

· Don't click on links you don't trust, but first check the link. When you go with your mouse-cursor on the link, then you can see at the bottom left corner of your browser window the REAL location the link is pointing to. You can also check the link using VirusTotal.com.

· Never download "codecs" or "players" to watch videos online. If you can't play the video online in your secure web browser then there's something wrong with the video or website.

· When you insert a USB flash drive or external hard drive from someone else into your PC, then scan it first with your antivirus program before opening or copying anything.

· If you want to take risks, then at least install VirtualBox on your PC, then install a operating system, like Linux (Linux Mint or Ubuntu) as a virtual machine in VirtualBox and do your risky things in there. But remember that also this is NOT 100% safe.

· Don't use a Windows administrator account for daily use, but use a standard account instead. If malware or a hacker gets access to your system, then the malware or hacker has the same rights of whatever account you're using. So if you use an administrator account and malware or a hacker takes control of your system, then the malware or hacker can do anything he, she or it wants and have full control of your system, but if you use a standard account then they can only do things that don't require administrator permission, so he or she can't change important system settings or install malware, and malware can't install itself unless you enter the administrator password.

· Microsoft recommends that you disable SMB1 on Windows for security reasons


Malware Detection & Removal

I will show you step by step how to detect and remove (get rid of) malware from your infected PC in a few different ways using anti-malware software and free online scanners (malware removal tools).

The good thing about malware scanners is that you can use them alongside your current antivirus software. Which means you get the chance to use another antivirus program on your system without any problems.
Important Tips!

1. Create a system restore point. If something goes wrong you can restore the mistake with a system restore point.

2. Always scan your PC with multiple malware scanners to get more complete detection coverage, because some programs may detect malware that others might miss.

3. Always double check the results of each scan and make sure that nothing important is selected for removal. Even malware scanners can make mistakes and sometimes see something harmless as a threat.
Recommended Solution
If your computer is infected with malware (computer virus, spyware, rootkit, trojan horse, worm, etc..), and you want to be 100% sure that your system will be clean, then the best solution is to reinstall Windows or restore a system image backup that's 100% clean.

Why?
Well, if your antivirus (anti-malware) software detected malware, then you will never know for sure if that's the only piece of malware that has infected your system.

Malware can nestle itself deeper into your system and hide itself, so that it can't be discovered by your security software and it can also open doors to other malware.

Now:

I know that most people don't want to reinstall Windows or don't have a system image backup, so that's why I will show you step by step how to remove malware from your infected PC in a few different ways.

Step 1: Enter Safe Mode with Networking

If you think your computer has a malware infection, then boot Windows into "Safe Mode with Networking".

Booting into "Safe Mode with Networking" will only load the minimum required programs and services.

This mode may also prevent Malware from loading automatically when Windows starts.

This is important because it helps to remove Malware easier since it's not running and active.

How to start Windows in "Safe Mode with Networking" in Windows XP, Vista & 7

1. Start your PC and keep tapping on the F8 key repeatedly until a menu appears.

2. When the "Advanced Boot Options" menu appears, select "Safe Mode with Networking".

3. Press Enter.
How to start Windows in "Safe Mode with Networking" in Windows 8 & 8.1Method 1

1. Start your PC and keep tapping on the F8 key repeatedly until a menu appears.

2. When the "Advanced Boot Options" menu appears, select "Safe Mode with Networking".

3. Press Enter.

Method 2

1. Click on the Start menu button.

2. Click on the power button.

3. Hold the Shift key down while clicking on "Restart".

4. When the options menu appears, click on "Troubleshoot".

5. Click on "Advanced options".

6. Click on "Startup Settings".

7. Click on "Restart" to restart your PC.

8. When the Startup settings menu appears, press the 5 key of your keyboard for "Safe Mode with Networking".

How to start Windows in "Safe Mode with Networking" in Windows 10

1. Click on the Start menu button.

2. Click on the power button.

3. Hold the Shift key down while clicking on "Restart".

4. When the options menu appears, click on "Troubleshoot".

5. Click on "Advanced options".

6. Click on "Startup Settings".

7. Click on "Restart" to restart your PC.

8. When the Startup settings menu appears, press the 5 key of your keyboard for "Safe Mode with Networking".


Step 2: Delete Temporary Files

Deleting your temporary files can speed up the scanning process and also free up disk space.

You don't need to install any extra software, because Windows has a built-in tool called "Disk Cleanup".

1. Open Windows Disk Cleanup.

Three ways to open this tool:

· Go to the Windows searchbar and search for cleanup and click on "Disk Cleanup".

· Press the Windows + R key on your keyboard, enter cleanmgr.exe, and click on "OK".

· Open Windows Explorer or File Explorer (Windows 10), right-click on the (C:)drive, choose "Properties" and click on "Disk Cleanup" (General tab).

2. Select the Windows drive (when asked for and if not already selected).

(C:) is the default installation location for Windows.

3. Click on "OK".

The tool will now calculate how much disk space you will be able to free on your system drive.

4. Select the type of files you want to delete. I always select everything.

5. Click on "OK".

6. Click on "Delete Files".

This may take a while. The time it takes depends on how many files need to be deleted. When it's finished the tool will close by itself.


Step 3: Full System Scan with Your Antivirus Software

Look:

Your antivirus program may missed the malware that has infected your PC the first time.

But:

Antivirus companies update their virus definitions hourly, daily or weekly, so it's possible that the malware that has infected your PC has been added in the last update.

First update your antivirus software and then run a full system scan with the program.

Step 4: Kaspersky TDSSKiller

Kaspersky TDSSKiller detects and removes the following malware:

· malware family Rootkit.Win32.TDSS

· bootkits

· rootkits

You can download the latest official version of Kaspersky TDSSKiller here.

1. Open TDSSKiller.

2. Accept the "End User License Agreement".

3. Accept the "KSN Statement".

4. Click on "Change parameters".

5. Select "Detect TDLFS file system".

6. Click on "OK".

7. Click on "Start scan".

TDSSKiller will now scan for malware.

This scan will only take about 30 seconds till a minute.

When the scan is completed it will show you the results of the scan.

8. If malware is detected, then click on "Continue" to remove the infections.
Step 5: Malwarebytes

Malwarebytes detects and removes all kinds of malware like computer viruses, spyware, rootkits, trojan horse, worms, and more.

You can download Malwarebytes here.

When you install Malwarebytes it will automatically enable a two week trial version of the premium version, but if you don't want the two week trial, then you can easily disable it in the settings.

Enable 'Scan for rootkits'

1. Open Malwarebytes.

2. Click on "Settings" (located at the left side).

3. Click on "Protection" (located at the top).

4. Go to "Scan Options".

5. Turn on "Scan for rootkits".



Note: You will only have to change this setting once.

Remove Malware

1. Open Malwarebytes.

2. Click on "Scan Now".

Malwarebytes will first look for updates and then it will scan for malware.

This may take a while (about 20 till 30 minutes).

When the scan is completed it will show you the results of the scan.

3. If malware is detected, then click on "Remove Selected" to remove the infections.

Malwarebytes may ask you to restart your PC.
Step 6: Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool

Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool is another tool for removing malware.

You can download Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool here.

1. Open Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool.

2. Accept the "End User License Agreement".

3. Click on "Change parameters".

4. Select (check) "System drive" and click on "OK".

5. Click on "Start scan".

Kaspersky Virus Removal Tool will now scan for malware.

This may take a while (about 30 till 45 minutes).

When the scan is completed it will show you the results of the scan.

6. If malware is detected, then click on "Continue" to remove the infections.
Step 7: ESET Online Scanner
ESET Online Scanner is one of the best free online second opinion scanner that can be used for scanning and removing malware.

You can download ESET Online Scanner here.

Click on "SCAN NOW" to start the download of this tool.

1. Open ESET Online Scanner.

2. Accept the "Terms of Use".

3. Choose between:

· Enable detection of potentially unwanted applications

· Disable detection of potentially unwanted applications

4. Click on "Scan" to start the scanning process.

This may take a while (about 30 till 45 minutes).

When the scan is completed it will show you the results of the scan.

5. If malware is detected, then choose one of the following options:

· Select the threats you want to delete and click on "Clean selected".

· Click on "Clean all".

6. Now you will have the following (optional) option: "Delete application's data on close".

7. Click on "Finish".


Step 8: Emsisoft Emergency Kit

Emsisoft Emergency Kit contains a collection of programs that can be used without installation to scan for malware and clean infected computers.

You can download Emsisoft Emergency Kit here.

1. Open Emsisoft Emergency Kit.

2. Click on "Malware Scan".

Emsisoft may ask you to detect potentially unwanted programs (PUPs).

Emsisoft Emergency Kit will now scan your computer for malware.

When the scan is completed it will show you the results of the scan.

3. If malware is detected, then choose one of the following options:

· Quarantine selected

· Delete selected
Step 9: Windows Defender Periodic Scanning (Windows 10 only)

Windows Defender Periodic Scanning will periodically scan your PC for malware and will remove malware it finds. It's intended to offer an additional line of defense to your existing antivirus program's real-time protection. You can also perform manual scans with this feature.

Enable Windows Defender Periodic Scanning

1. Open "Settings".

2. Open "Update & Security".

3. Click on "Windows Defender" (left sidebar).

4. Go to "Limited Periodic Scanning" and turn it on.

Perform a Manual Scan with Windows Defender

1. Go to the Windows notification area in the taskbar.

2. Right-click on the Windows Defender icon and choose "Open".

3. Go to "Scan options" and select "Full".

4. Click on "Scan now".

Windows Defender will now scan your system.

This may take a while.

When the scan is completed it will show you the results of the scan.

5. If malware is detected, then you can check the results and choose to apply the action(s).
That's it. I hope your PC is clean and that you've learned enough about malware.

 Please if this post was helpful, leave a comment

Reference: Easytechguide
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Cpdemy is a knowledge driven hive dedicated to producing great how-to, tips and tricks, awesome tutorials on Photoshop, Wordpress, Blogger, SEO


The internet as we know very well is full of threats and each day new threats, such as malware (computer viruses, ransomware, spyware, adware, rootkits, trojan horse, worms, etc..) arise.

Also hackers (phishing, identity theft, etc.) are a real threat online and all these threats can cause serious damage to your computer and even your personal life.

Fortunately, there are some things you can do to better protect your computer, home network, internet connection, and online activities against viruses (and other malware) and hackers.

Computer & Internet Security Tips

The best computer and internet protection is yourself and you will have to watch out with everything you do, online and offline. These tips will help you to better protect yourself from viruses (and other malware) and hackers.


1. Use a genuine version of Microsoft Windows. 
Using pirated/cracked versions of Windows can bring you many disadvantages, such as:

· No official and commercial support from Microsoft.

· Windows could be modified by a hacker to spy on you.

· No official versions and updates. Updates are very important!

· Windows could work slow because of the hacks done to make it genuine.

· Malware (computer viruses, spyware, trojan horse, worms, rootkits, etc...) pose a unstoppable threat.

Tip: if you don't want to buy a genuine version of Microsoft Windows, then I recommend using a alternative free operating system, such as Linux Mint or Ubuntu (both are quickly installed and easy to use).


2. Use a Firewall
A firewall is software or hardware that helps screen out hackers and malware that try to reach your computer over the Internet. Windows comes with a (software) firewall built-in, but you must be sure that it's turned on.


3. Use Antivirus Software – no matter how careful you are. 
No matter how smart you think you are, you can still benefit from antivirus software on your Windows PC. You can see antivirus software as your final layer of protection. Even one of your favorite websites can one day be infected with malware and antivirus software can protect you against it.

Two examples of good free antivirus programs are Bitdefender Free and Kaspersky Free, but if you're looking for more features, then the paid versions of Bitdefender and Kaspersky are good options. Bitdefender and Kaspersky always have very high scores in antivirus tests (AV-tests). They're always in the top for many years now.

4. Keep Windows and software always up-to-date
Updates may include important patches to fix security vulnerabilities and this prevents attackers from exploiting security holes.


5. Always take security warnings from Windows, antivirus software and your web browser seriously. 
If you ignore security warnings from Windows, antivirus software and your web browser, then your system may likely get infected with malware.


6. Don't use a Windows administrator account for daily use, but use a standard account instead. 
If malware or a hacker gets access to your system, then the malware or hacker has the same rights of whatever account you're using. So if you use an administrator account and malware or a hacker takes control of your system, then the malware or hacker can do anything he, she or it wants and have full control of your system, but if you use a standard account then they can only do things that don't require administrator permission, so he or she can't change important system settings or install malware, and malware can't install itself unless you enter the administrator password.


7. Don't download, install and use pirated/cracked software. 
This is a very important part, pirated/cracked software could infect your PC with malware. The crack (piece of software used to crack the software to make it look genuine) might actually be disguised malware.


8. Always download software from a trusted source, like the official website of the maker of the software. 
Nowadays when you want to download software you have to be very careful before you click on any "Download" button or link, because you never know what you may end up with! You might be downloading and installing crapware or adware.


9. Pay attention when installing software. 
Never click to fast on "Next", "Install", "OK", etc. when installing software, because you might install extra unwanted third-party software (like toolbars). If you see extra offers, then uncheck all their checkboxes.


10. Never click on "OK", "Yes" or "Run" when a pop-up window appears to ask you to download and install unknown software. 
Malware will sometimes try to trick you in installing even more malware. Example: a pop-up window appears with a warning message, like "Your Windows computer could be at risk! Install the repair tool to clean and protect your system...." and when you click on "Secure now", "OK", "Yes" or "Run" then your system gets infected.


11. Check free software before downloading and installing it onto your computer. 
Software could just be Malware disguised as software, so always Google the software first and look for reviews or forums that talk about this software.


12. Don't download and open email attachments from a suspicious email – unless you can verify the source. 
Many computer viruses are delivered through an email attachment. Attachments that contain viruses are either executable programs (file types: .com, .exe, .vbs, .zip, .scr, .dll, .pif, .js) or macro viruses (file types: .doc, .dot, .xls, .xlt). And if you don't trust a file or link, then you can also check it using VirusTotal.com.


13. Disable or better yet, uninstall Java if you don't need it. 
Java has a lot of security vulnerabilities which are constantly being exploited in cyber attacks. Java vulnerabilities are one of the biggest security holes on your computer. It needs constant patching (security updates). 
Recently, Java has made a lot of updates which has really reduced its vulnerability.


14. Disable or uninstall Adobe Flash Player if you don't need it (disable also in your web browser)
Like Java, Adobe Flash Player has also a lot of security flaws which are being exploited in cyber attacks. You should also disable it in your web browser, because browser plugins are a favorite target for malware and cyber criminals because they are generally full of unpatched or undocumented security holes that cyber criminals can use to take complete control over vulnerable systems.

15. When you insert a USB flash drive or external hard drive from someone else into your PC, then scan it first with your antivirus program before opening or copying anything. 
It's always good practice to scan someone's USB flash drive or external hard drive for malware when you use it on your PC, because USB plug-and-play devices are the easiest method to infect computers.


16. Never click on unknown links or links that look suspicious. 
Links can bring you to malicious websites that will infect your PC or they can bring you to a fake login page and when you type your login information into this fake login page then hackers will have this information also. So when you get an email with a link in it, then don't just click on it. Same counts for links on unknown websites. If you are curious about a link, then you could check the link (URL) at VirusTotal.com.


17. Never download "codecs" or "players" to watch videos online. 
If a website wants to install video codecs or a media player, then don't allow it. It's not worth the risk. Most likely you can find the video on YouTube or another video website anyway.


18. Disable macros and ActiveX in the Microsoft Office suite – Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc... 
These are bits of software that cyber criminals often use to spread malware and infect computers.


19. Enable the "show file extensions" option in Windows and always verify file extensions before clicking on them. 
Cyber criminals are very good at camouflaging files to make them look harmless. The purpose is to trick you into clicking on them and launch a malware infection that will take over your system. Change your Windows settings to show file name extensions, so you will avoid clicking on shady file extensions, like .jpg.exe (.jpg isn't dangerous, because it's an image format, but combined with .exe it's malware).


20. Disable AutoPlay on your PC. 
AutoPlay is a Windows feature that allows you to quickly open digital media from USB flash drives, External hard drives, CDs and DVDs with designated software. Malware can use this feature to start running automatically and gain access to your computer.


21. Don't keep Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on – unless you're actively using it. 
Cyber criminals can use both of these connections to attack and compromise your devices.


22. Secure your home network. 
· Keep your router's firmware up-to-date.

· Change your router's default IP address.

· Change your router's default administrator password and username.

· Encrypt your Wi-Fi network with WPA2 or WPA encryption (WPA2 is the strongest). Don't use WEP encryption.

· Disable UPnP (Universal Plug and Play).


23. Be careful when using a public, shared and free Wi-Fi network. 
· Use a VPN (Virtual Private Network).

· Don't do things that require your bank account information, credit card information or other personal, important and sensitive information, like online banking or online shopping.

· Don't share files with personal, important and sensitive information, because they might get intercepted by someone.

· Disable network discovery, file and printer sharing and public folder sharingin Windows.

· Visit only websites that use HTTPS encryption, so that you will have a more private and secure connection to that website. Example: https://www.facebook.com.


24. Don't use too many web browser extensions (add-ons / plugins). 
Web browser extensions are just part of the problem. Any form of browser integration can create security holes.


25. Disable Windows PowerShell if you don't use it. 
Windows PowerShell is a tool that's much more powerful than the Command Prompt. There are many types of malware (like ransomware), who abuse PowerShell to plant and execute malware deep in the victim's system.


26. Create regular backups of all your important files. 
Ransomware is a type of malware (malicious software) designed to block access to a computer system until a sum of money is paid. If this happens you will also lose access to all of your files (documents, etc...). Paying the ransom will not guarantee that you will get access to your system and/or files again. Ransomware is one of the world's fastest growing types of malware. So having a backup of your files is very important.


27. When providing answers to security questions for your online accounts, add a short word (that only you know) to the end of your answer. 
Social media can usually provide answers to common security questions. Adding a short word to the end of your answer can help prevent hackers (who have your personal information) from knowing the answer. Example word "meek", so if your mother's maiden name is Johnson, then enter something like Johnsonmeek (e.g. Mother's maiden name: Johnsonmeek).


28. Disable SMB1 on Windows. 
Microsoft recommends that you disable SMB1 for security reasons – especially for WannaCrypt, Petya (also known as Petwrap) and other ransomware, because they also use this to attack the Windows operating system.

29. Be wary of emails asking for confidential information – especially financial information. 
A legitimate organisation, like a bank will never ask for sensitive information like your password, bank account, or credit card by email. When you have any doubts, visit the main website of the organisation in question, get their phone number and give them a call or visit their office.


30. Never leave your computer, tablet or phone unattended in public. 
If your device gets stolen, then someone has not only your device, but maybe also your personal information (e.g. usernames, passwords, etc...). All it takes is someone with more than basic computer knowledge to get to your personal data.


31. Use strong passwords for your online accounts. 
Passwords protect your online accounts, so it's important to use strong passwords. A strong password is a combination of numbers, uppercase letters, lowercase letters and other characters.

If you are having trouble with creating and remembering multiple strong passwords, then use a password manager, like LastPass, KeePass, 1Password or RoboForm.


32. Never use the same password for multiple accounts. 
If you use the same password for multiple online accounts and someone obtains your password in one way or another, then he or she will have access to all of your online accounts that use the same password.

Your password can get compromised by a phishing attack or in a data breach. Data breaches happen more often than you might think – even with big sites, such as Linkedin, Twitter, Yahoo, MySpace and Tumblr. If you want to check if you have an account that has been compromised in a data breach, then visit https://haveibeenpwned.com, type your email address or username and click on the "pwned?" button. If your account is "pwned!", then you will have to act fast and change your passwords on all accounts that use the same password as the account that has been "pwned!".

If you are having trouble with creating and remembering multiple strong passwords, then use a password manager, like LastPass, KeePass, 1Password or RoboForm.


33. Use two-factor authentication for your online accounts (email, social media, etc...). 
Two-factor authentication (also known as 2-Step verification) is an extra layer of security for your online accounts designed to ensure that you're the only person who can access your accounts – even if someone else knows your passwords.


34. Cover up your laptop's webcam. 
Hackers can access webcams through malware. If your computer gets infected with malware, then that malware could contain executable code that can turn on your webcam and watch and/or record you.

If you want to be absolutely sure nobody is watching and recording you, then cover your webcam with tape, a peel-off sticker, or something else that can obscure the lens but can be removed easily when you actually want to use your webcam.


35. Don't post a photo of your airline boarding pass on social media (and don't just throw it away either). 
The barcode of a boarding pass contains information about you, such as your name, future travel plans and frequent flyer account.

Someone can take a screenshot of your boarding pass, go to a website that can read and decode the data stored in the barcode of your boarding pass and view your information.

With this information a hacker can get access to your frequent flyer account and reset the PIN number that you use to secure your frequent flyer account, change seats and even cancel any future flights.

When the flight is over and you're home or at your accommodation, then burn the boarding pass or toss it in a paper shredder.


Conclusion:
As already stated above, the security tip you would likely implement right now. I hope this helps you. 
Leave a comment if you have any other relevant tip and it would be added to this post.

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