Windows Help & Advice - UK (2020-05)

Windows 10

Lock down your PC

May 2020 | |^15

1
Browsersecurity
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Privacysection.Forexample,Firefoxusers
shouldmakesurethatEnhancedTracking
Protectionis switchedonalongwith
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2

InstalluBlockOrigin

Visityourbrowser’sadd-ins

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intrusiveads,includingmanymalicious

ones.Clickitsbrowsertoolbariconto

viewstats.

3

Avoid unsafe tech

Many dangerous ads are

employed using the likes of outdated

and insecure technologies like Flash and

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these, but if you’ve installed Java open

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extra protection.

innocently browsing away, asking you
to call a number. In both cases, you may
be asked to provide payment before
fixes can be applied or directed to
download and install software that
will allow the scammer to take control
of your computer, ostensibly for the
purpose of fixing the problem, but
more likely to lower your defences and
install more malware.
In all cases, social engineering
scams are designed to unsettle you
and then – while you’re off-balance
– trap and ultimately defraud you. We
recommend you take the time to visit
http://www.financialfraudaction.org.uk/
consumer/advice/ and work your way
through the useful tips (with a particular
focus on online shopping, email and
phone scams) to get sound guidance
onhowtoavoidbeingcaughtout.

Strengthenprotection
Manyscamsoriginateontheweb.
Thesetypeofsocialengineering
scamsarepartofthewidermalvertising

• ormaliciousadvertising– familyof
  malware.Theseareadvertisements
  thatcanappearonanywebpage,
  andmaycontainmaliciouscodeor


• morecommonly– relyontrickeryto
  triggerthescam.Thosewhofallforit
  arethenredirectedtothescammer’s
  landingpage.
  Whilemanyfakewebsitesare
  quicklyreportedbysiteslikePhishTank
  (www.phishtank.com),whichinturn
  leadstothembeingblockedbyyour
  webbrowser’sownsecuritytools,you
  shouldgofurthertoproactivelyblock
  thesefromgettinga footholdinthe
  firstplace.Thestep-by-stepguide
  revealswhatyoucandotominimise

theriskfromthese– andother

web-based– threatsinyourweb

browserandtherestofyourPC.

Alsochecktoseeif yoursecurity

softwareoffersadditionalprotections

againstweb-basedthreats– free

productsmayoffersomelimited

protectionbutpaid-forproductswill

usuallyextendthisfurther,andthat

includesthepaid-forPremiumversion

ofMalwarebytesAnti-Malware.

ThefreeversionofMalwarebytes

worksasa scan-and-removaltool–

there’snoactiveprotectionagainst

keepingthreatsoffyourPCinthe

firstplace.Thepremiumversion

offersfourreal-timecomponents

• malware,ransomware,exploitand
  web– andismoreaggressivethan

othertoolswhenit comestoadware

andso-calledriskware(seeoverthe

page).Thismeansthatsometimesyou

mayhavelegitimatecausetodisagree

withitsfindings.

Startbyresearchingthethreat– click

thelinkintheQuarantinetogeta

detailedreportfromMalwarebytes’

ownwebsite,thenlookfurtherafield

(https://forums.malwarebytes.com/isa

goodplacetostart)forotherpeople’s

opinions.If youdecidethetoolissafe,

openMalwarebytesandclick‘Detection

History’toaccesstheQuarantine.First,

restorethefilebyselectingit fromthe

listandclickingRestore,thenswitchto

the‘AllowList’tabandclickAddto

selecttheprogramfiletoexcludeit

fromfuturescans.

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“Social engineering scams are designed to unsettle you

and then, while you’re off-balance, trap and defraud you”

Malwarebytes is a capable anti-malware tool in its own right, but is better paired with other tools.