Is Your Computer Vulnerable? How to Protect It.

My heart kind of stopped for a minute as I read the email. “I think you’ve been hacked – I’m getting strange emails from your business account.” Oh crud, I thought.(Okay – I might have used a stronger word than crud.) Did all of my clients and business contacts get them too? Not exactly the professional image I was looking to project! How was I going to sell myself as a knowledgable pro when I couldn’t even protect my computer from viruses and hackers???

This happened to me almost ten years ago and it prompted me to start looking for a better system to make sure my computer and other devices were completely protected from all of the threats that exist online. As I started doing a little research, I was immediately grateful that this was the worst that had happened since it could have been so much worse. Since then, the threats have only continued to grow. I’ve personally known people who have had the contents of their computers taken and held hostage for money. If you work from home like I do, the idea of that is terrifying! Even if you do not run a business on your computer, how many irreplaceable family photos and videos do you have on your computer right now?

I have so many aspects of my life that rely on my computer – my family memories, my business, my household accounting, my music and even my calendars. If you factor in how much I use my smart phone and tablets for things like appointment reminders, recipe storage and GPS, anything that took all of that offline would be a major life disruption! I consider keeping my online devices safe as important as keeping my home and family safe and protected.

I’ve been a Norton customer since the day I read that email about my hacked account and am thrilled to partner with them on this post to let you know a little bit more about how you can protect your devices as well.

Norton has continued to evolve and expand their offerings with every new release and I now use Norton Security Deluxe to protect my computer from viruses, spyware, malware and other online threats as well as to protect my online identity when I am shopping or banking online. I also depend on Norton Security Deluxe to protect me from dangerous downloads and it even keeps my PC humming by cleaning up my hard drive and freeing up space!

Sadly, hackers and other internet “bad guys” have gotten more and more adept at tricking even the most well informed computer users into falling for their tricks. Even with as much as I know, I’ve seen some phishing scams that looked really legit. I’ve received emails that took several minutes to identify as fake and I almost clicked on them myself. With scammers getting so sophisticated, I know that I want the best protection I can get! And that’s why I depend on Norton!

But let’s face it. Sometimes, just having antivirus software isn’t enough, especially if you’re running a business or managing sensitive data. That’s where managed IT services come in. These services provide proactive, around-the-clock monitoring and support to catch threats before they cause damage—and handle any technical issues that pop up so you don’t have to.

I’m hoping by now you are starting to rethink how you are protecting your own online assets. Why not take Norton for a test drive and see if you’re blown away by it’s ease of use and the peace of mind it provides? (Spoiler alert – you’re going to love it!) Don’t need convincing? You can snag a year of Norton Security Deluxe for under $50! Small price for peace of mind, right???