Check your online security savvy. How many of these common myths did you believe?

Myth 1. Installing and using antivirus software is enough to protect my system from viruses

Having antivirus software is critical to protect your system from viruses, but you need to make sure your security is up to date, and that’s a lot easier if the updates are done automatically for you. Your security needs the most current virus definitions so it can prevent nasty infections. And the best protection stops viruses and other threats “in the cloud” before they even reach your computer.

Myth 2. My Internet Service Provider protects me

Your ISP may offer some protection, but it probably only checks emails for viruses. Some ISPs may provide a firewall as well, but that doesn’t mean you don’t need a strong virus protection program on your computer. If you wander onto a website and accidentally download a corrupt file, you have no protection from your ISP. That’s where your antivirus software plays such an important role. The best security also protects you from phishing scams. A phishing scam is when crooks try to trick you into thinking they are your bank or some other reputable business so that you will give them your password and access to your personal accounts.

Myth 3. Macintosh Users are safe from viruses

While the majority of viruses are written to infect computers running Windows, the threat landscape is changing rapidly, and many threats target Mac users too. You still need to have good antivirus software and you need to be just as careful of email scams and cons. Scams aren’t platform-specific and don’t care that you have a Mac, smartphone, iPad, or any other type of online device!

Myth 4. There’s nothing very important on my computer so I don’t need to worry about identity theft

Even if you think there isn’t much of significance on your computer, there may be just enough to cause major problems if the information fell into the wrong hands. Private information is passed through your computer when you shop online, visit websites, and send files. If more than one person in your family is using the computer, it becomes difficult to monitor what information is exchanged.

Chances are, somewhere on your computer there are files with your name, address, and possibly user names and passwords. How about credit card info? If you’ve made purchases online, that data may be stored as well. Someone looking to steal your identity now has lots of handy information. Your email inbox is also full of valuable data. As you can see, there’s plenty of useful information for identity thieves on most computers, so protect yourself with online security.

Myth 5. I don’t have money so I won’t be a target

The fact is, identity thieves will go after anyone, even those who aren’t able to walk or talk yet. You’ve probably heard about the crooks who are selling children’s social security numbers to people with bad credit. Some instances may be out of your control. If a company’s data is compromised (bank, retail store, college, government) and your data is stored on their servers, you are at risk. So it is important to check your credit history and watch activity. You are entitled to a free credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting companies. Check the website www.annualcreditreport.com for more information.

Some people feel that it takes too much time and it’s a hassle to worry about online security. The fact is, it is like auto insurance and it takes far more time to undo the damage that can be caused by not having good online security like the kind Maximum Security provides.