While the Pension Boards cannot make a specific endorsement of any anti-virus product for your home computer, laptop or mobile devices it is extremely important that you have one installed. Anti-virus/anti-malware programs must be active, scanning all incoming emails and data and must be set to update regularly.  

A good analogy to anti-virus computer programs is human disease. Until a doctor discovers a new strain of the flu for example and develops a vaccine and inoculates you it is very possible you will get sick. The same can be said about computers. Until a new malware program is discovered and a “vaccine” is developed and installed on your computer you could lose everything. Programs, documents, credit card information are all susceptible to destruction or theft.

Another important task is to perform regular backups of your computer and store them in a safe place separate from your computer. Should you be a victim of malware that destroys your files once the infection is removed you can restore your files with minimal loss of data.

So….

Make sure you have a reputable anti-malware program

Make sure it is running

Make sure you keep it updated

And

Keep regular back-ups of your files