[Guide] How do I protect my Windows?

Hey there, so you've managed to get on board with microsoft's latest and greatest windows 10. now what?

First thing I worry about after installing a fresh copy of windows, is how to protect it. I've done plenty of research on the subject, and here's the bundle that I personaly use and I believe works best for most people.

1- Antivirus

for people with High end PCs with lots of RAM (4GB+) and 4th or 5th Gen processors (i3, i5 i7), I recommend you use Avast. it's pretty solid and offers a ton of features for free, and if you wait for its offers around the holidays, you can get a sweet deal on their paid subscriptions.

Download it Here

for people with a more modest setup (2GB RAM) and Intel Atom, Celeron and Dual Core processors, I recommend Avira, it's pretty light on resources and has many features. for July 2015 Real-World Protection Test it was ranked the fourth program out of 20 mostly commercial contenders, with its 99.7% protection rate! and it's free.

Download it Here

2- Anti-Malware

sadly most people download a good antivirus program and seem to be completely oblivious that when you go online, you need more than just a good antivirus to stay safe. AntiMalware apps are just as essential to your online safety as the best antivirus out there. I use the free version of Malwarebytes, it has a 30 days trial and I recommend pitching in for the premium version because this thing is just awesome.

Download it Here

- For those who would like a little extra layer of protection, I recommend downloading Malwarebytes anti-exploit as well, it's pretty great for keeping an eye on your installed programs as it looks for any suspicious behaviour

Download it Here

3- Firewall

now you maybe thinking, isn't this a bit of an overkill? sadly the answer is NO! you're never actually 100% safe online. in fact, because your internet traffic goes through your Internet Service Provider, you're technically at their mercy. however you can mitigate the risk by being careful.

Installing a Firewall is for Advanced users who value their online privacy, you'd be surprised to know the number of covert connections the different components of your computer try to make to the internet everyday. here's a screenshot from my own PC.

I use ZoneAlarm by checkpoint, mostly because it's pretty decent and also because it's free :D

Download it Here

Note: That's my list for you guys, please know that I've come to make this list on my own, I do not gain any monetary value from any of these companies listed above.

#howto #protect #windows10 #windows7 #windows8 #malwarebytes