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As long as your computer has access to the world wide web or internet, especially e-mails, then it may be only a matter of time before you get attacked by malicious spyware program, virus, worm, or (worst) hackers. Every day we get customers coming in who are experiencing computer problems due to these threats, and it is only getting worse.
What’s even more frustrating is that many of these computer users are back in my office a couple days or weeks later with the EXACT same problems and end up having to spend ANOTHER heavy fee for restoring their computer back to normal.
Imagine having these kinds of problem with your restaurant. Your POS systems being infiltrated and destroyed by these ravaging viruses, worms and Trojans. You absolutely have no way of protecting your restaurant POS system if you do not take extra precautions.
The Three Dangerous Threats You Must Be Aware Of
One of the deadly aspects of online threats is their ability hide their existence and penetrate your system without your knowledge. Hackers and other programmers who code malicious spyware and malware programs really exert vast amount of effort just to create programs that are difficult to identify and remove.
This can mean that malicious computer programs can directly be downloaded and work its dirty tricks on your system before you even know it. Below are the two most common threats you’ll need to guard against with a brief description of what they {are|are and how you acquire them}:
Spyware: Spyware is a computer program often installed without the user’s consent. This program gathers information about you and your online activities and then reports it back to some outside person. Sometimes advertisers uses this sneaky program to secretly monitor their customers’ activities. So Better becareful on what website you visit before clicking on that “download” button.
Most spywares are secretly attached to files you download over the internet, like free scripts, music files, and screen savers. While you think you are only downloading a legitimate program to add emoticons to your e-mails, you are unknowingly also downloading a truck full of spyware programs.
Malware: A combination of the words malicious and software. This type of computer program is designed specifically to infiltrate and cause extreme damage to your system, this include viruses, worms and Trojans. Malware is harder to remove and will try to fight back when if clean it from your system. In some extreme cases, we have had to completely wipe out all of the information on the computers’ hard disk and start with a complete re-install of the operating system. Most of the time, malware secretly attach itself to your emails without your knowledge causing computer damage to your email receipients.
Hackers: These are programmers for whom computing is its own reward, has the habit of breaking into other people’s computer just for the sheer fun of it but causes no harm. But today, hackers are widely known as evil programmers who loves to modify your files, cause damage to your system and even design the spyware and malware programs to attack your computer.
So if you’re a restaurant or any other retail establishment owner, having no protection for your POS systems at all, then your system is surely one of the easy targets.
Some of them have criminal intent and purposely use these programs to steal money from unsuspecting individuals and companies. Some of them may have a grudge against your software vendor and seek to harm them by secretly attacking their customers. Others does it purely for fun. Whatever the reason, hackers are getting more intelligent and sophisticated in their ability to penetrate computer systems and networks.
Here Four Simple Steps You Can Take To Secure Your Computer From These Attacks
1. Keep an up-to-date anti-virus software running at all times. You ought to make sure it has an auto scan and update feature that will make sure your computer is running the most current protection available and regularly scanning for threats.
2. You may want to consider using an alternative browser to Microsoft Internet Explorer like the Mozilla Firefox. Hackers have figured out ways to access and download malicious programs to your computer via a security hole in IE. What is amazing about this is that even if you do not click anything and/or download a program to get infected. You are especially vulnerable if you use an older version of Windows such as Windows 98.
Mozilla Firefox is a completely free web browser that does not have the same security problems as IE. Many of my clients saying that they prefer using Mozilla Firefox than Microsoft IE. Switching from IE to Firefox is a simple and a costless way to add more protection to your computer. If you want to download the Mozilla browser, visit www.mozilla.org.
3. Don’t] open suspicious looking e-mails or attachments. This goes without saying since most viruses are distributed via e-mail. If it looks suspicious, delete it immediately!
4. Set up a firewall. A firewall is designed to block unauthorized access while allowing outgoing communication. many internet users will just get a DSL or cable Internet connection and plug it without a firewall.
The one thing you have to remember about the Internet is that it is a big open field. You have access to the world, but on the flip side, the world has access to YOU. Take note that hackers have programs that automatically scan the Internet for computers connected via a cable or DSL connection without a firewall. And once they find one, they access your computer, download vicious programs, and might even use your computer to scatter their ravaging viruses to your friends or other computers without your permission.
It only takes one click of a mouse to gain easy access to your restaurant POS system, collect all customer and employee information, destroy your computer system, and sends out virus-infected emails to your customers and friends using your email account! It will surely be the end of your hard work, a huge waste of money on the restaurant POS solutions you’ve bought, and possibly the downfall of your business if you let this things happen to you.
The author Michael Tash is the Vice President of Customer Relations at POS-For-Restaurants. With over 20 years of restaurant experience, POS-For-Restaurants.com helps you use your technology to be more efficient and more profitable.
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