Viruses can effect any device!

Viruses are an important topic to discuss since they can attack whenever, wherever and to whoever. They are malicious softwares that can cause harm to your device like making it run slowly or disrupt your browsing experience. Viruses come through softwares you may download online, like maybe you see a link to download free movies but really when you click it, it deploys harmful software. They don’t discriminate in who they attack and affect,  so it is important to educate yourself on viruses. This has been a popular topic in the news recently and we at Kids Shield have brought you three stories we have found interesting.

Did you know viruses can attack Macs?

Mac products have been deemed relatively safe to use without deploying anti-virus software! The operating system has generally been pretty strong in not letting viruses attack it. But according to Macworld in the last few years there has been a significant rise in the amount of virus attacks on Mac devices. As mentioned earlier, viruses don’t discriminate, and are now becoming stronger in who they can attack. This goes to show the importance of always having extra safety precautions in place. Even if you believe that you are fully protected, putting in a second or third layer of protection is recommended. You can find softwares that will protect your mac best through a simple google search to see what works best for you. You can read more about this story here.

You stumble upon 6 suspicious sites a day!

In order for a virus to attack your device it must be downloaded through a host program since they can’t move on their own. They are mostly downloaded through suspicious and unsafe websites. According to Study Finds the average computer user stumbles upon more than 6 pages a day that may contain viruses or are at the least unsafe to visit. It is crucial to always be vigilant when browsing online because you never know when you may find yourself in an unsafe position. One major warning sign to look for is if the web address has http before it, since  that generally signifies whether it is secured or not. These websites can hold a range of different malicious softwares besides viruses. Always browse with careful caution and never visit an unfamiliar or shady looking site. 

Viruses and smartphones

According to The Conversation, 84% of the world's population owns a smartphone and 3.5 million of them fell victim to viruses in the last year. People have believed for years that smartphones and mobile devices are immune to virus attacks but they are not! Most of these attacks happened via phishing style attacks like texts with links containing the virus. There are now anti-virus and device protection applications available on iOS and Android. It is best to always use as many safety layers as possible as mentioned previously. But awareness is the first step in being secure online. Always remember you are never immune to cyber attacks!

We hope that we helped you become more educated on viruses! Thanks for reading our blog today, and make sure you are signed up for our email list to never miss a blog drop. Follow our social media accounts for more education and information. Be educated, be connected and be safe with Kids Shield!