SewBiz: PC Protection

While I do not feel I'm an expert at anything, I've decided to periodically write about what I'm categorizing as SewBiz.  These will be insights that will primarily focus on those in the quilting, sewing, or embroidery business vs customers, where my typical posts focus.  

Today's post falls somewhere in the area of SewBiz, but also applies to any quilting, sewing, or embroidery enthusiasts who spends time on the internet.  From time to time I hear where someone has had a problem with a virus and it can cause grief that may take days to resolve, sometimes spreading to others.  I know when I've been hit with a computer virus I'm not a happy camper. 

There are some good PC security programs on the market.  After years of using Norton, McAfee, and other security programs I've been very happy using ESET for the past few years.  While they do a great job protecting my computer from viruses, Malware can still sneak in and slow a computer down.  

I've been using a free program from http://malwarebytes.org/ that does a great job finding malware on a computer and removing it.  While I depend on my PC security programs to block bad programs, as well as to scan and kill anything that may have crept in, the free Malware bytes program has been very helpful finding things that PC security programs may not have detected.  I've recommended this free Malware program to those when I hear they have PC problems that could be symptoms of Malware (e.g. sluggish computers) and in many cases this free software has resolved the issue.

So, while this may not be something that you directly think of as a quilting topic.  This is my SewBiz tip - go to the Malwarebytes.org site and download their free malware program.  And run it on your computer when you download it to see if it finds any malware on your computer, plus remember to run it at least once a month to see if it finds anything.  It is fast and easy to use, plus it is free.