There are many things you can do to tell if your computer is safe. However, the first step is to keep your computer safe from malware or a direct cyberattack in the first place. Here are some examples of what to watch out for.
Making sure your computer is up to date on its updates will ensure that your OS and antivirus software are receiving the most recent patches. Also, making sure you install antivirus software is important for the health of your computer as well. Next, make sure you have strong passwords to your computer itself and the websites you log in to. Having strong passwords means you will not have to worry as much about having it stolen and losing all your data. Another good password trick is to enable two-factor authentication. Having this will ensure that even if your password is stolen then they still need the other factor to log in which will stop them. Practice safe browsing habits don’t click on suspicious websites or links especially in emails because that is called phishing and it is an extremely common practice of hackers. Lastly, regularly back up your data to make sure if everything is stolen or lost you at least have a backup of most of it if not all of the data that was lost.
To see if your computer is currently safe there are some things you can do. First, just Be vigilant for any unusual behavior on your computer, such as unexpected pop-up messages, changes in performance, or unauthorized access attempts this can be an obvious sign that there is a virus on your computer. Next, you can do a basic but effective antivirus scan. Run a full scan with your antivirus software to check for any malware or viruses on your system. Next, you could check on your firewall, to Verify that your firewall is enabled and configured correctly to block unauthorized access to your computer. Lastly, Check the security logs on your computer for any indications of security incidents or suspicious activities. By performing these checks regularly, you can ensure that your computer remains safe and secure from potential threats.