If you’re a frequent internet user, at one point, you may have experienced a web browser attack. Apart from tricking you into visiting a malicious site or downloading a harmful file, attackers predominantly focus on imperfections in your browser and its plug-ins to jeopardize your computer.
As per experts who sell laptops, here are five tips on how you can surf online without fear of any browser malware attack.
1. Update your browser all the time.
As much as possible, only use a web browser that is current. Also, always make sure that the option to automatically update the browser is enabled.
2. Remove the plug-ins you no longer need.
Uninstall the plug-ins you don’t use anymore. Take a look at the list of installed plug-ins on your browser and remove those you don’t need. One plug-in that is particularly risky to use is Java. So unless you absolutely need it, remove it from your list.
Another plug-in fast becoming an unnecessary tool is Microsoft Silverlight. Even if you often use Netflix, you may uninstall Silverlight. The one plug-in you almost certainly need is Flash, everything else can go.
Remove a plug-in if you’re unsure whether you need it or not. The worst case scenario here would be to reinstall it in the future when you realize that you need it after all, but this only takes a minute or two.
As for the plug-ins that you truly need, make sure they are updated all the time.
3. Go for a 64-bit internet browser.
64-bit programs feature a greater defense against malware. Google Chrome comes in both 32- bit and 64-bit versions, however most users still use the 32-bit version. If you’re one of these users, download the 64-bit version.
Microsoft Edge features a 64-bit browser on the same-bit OS. Surprisingly, Internet Explorer also features the same browser, while Firefox is yet to launch its version. As for Mac and Linux, all browsers are 64-bit versions.
4. Perform an anti-exploit scan.
Anti-exploit programs solidify the protection of your internet browser towards most prevalent attacks. Instead of counting on antivirus-style blacklists of certain application and behavior,
these types of program just avert uncommon behavior from happening.The two big selections here are EMET from Microsoft and Anti-Exploit by Malwarebytes. Both options are free for internet browser defense, however Anti-Exploit is less complicated to install and is much more of a consumer product.
While it’s still recommended that you use antivirus program, an anti-exploit scan will make your browser security more effective.
5. Be careful when using browser extensions.
Browser extensions are brilliant, effective resources for customizing your computer browser. But at the same time, they can be dangerous to your device. Dodgy extensions can embed ads into web pages you often use, record keystrokes, monitor your browsing activity, and do unpleasant things from the information they have gotten from you.
To avoid these from happening, use as few internet browser extensions as possible. As an added bonus, fewer browser extensions means a faster browser.
Protecting your internet browser is just a part of it. To complete the trifecta, you also must avoid phishing sites and dismiss unquestionable file download.
