If you’re facing issues with your PC’s performance or just want to upkeep it, regular cleaning should be on your to-do list. Cleaning up your PC has several advantages, including speeding up your system and safeguarding your personal information from potential threats. Besides, the process frees up storage space, enabling you to install more programs or store more multimedia files. A monthly clean-up is usually recommended for optimal results. Those who have never cleaned their PC might be in for a pleasant surprise with its much-enhanced speed and improved performance. In this guide, we will explain the ins and outs of PC cleaning to help you on the right path.

Understanding PC Cleaning

Over time, as you store multiple files on your PC, they begin to take up more and more space. Specifically, your C drive might be gradually filling up due to backup files, hidden files, and temporary files. Additionally, even a new PC can benefit from a cleaning since it often comes with pre-installed programs that you might not need. So, what is PC cleaning? Essentially, it involves deleting unneeded files from your system when you want to free up storage space and enhance the overall performance of your PC.

Assessing Program Usage on Your PC

One of the first steps in PC cleaning involves removing unwanted programs. This can be done by accessing the ‘Programs and Features’ section of your control panel. As a necessary measure, go through the list and note down the programs that you don’t use. If you encounter programs you don’t recognize, perform a quick internet search to understand their function before deleting them. Depending on the program’s size, removing them may not take long. Alongside removing unneeded programs, you can also use the disk cleanup utility to remove temporary files, which is another crucial aspect of PC cleaning.

McAfee Pro Tip: You may find Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUP) while cleaning your computer. PUPs are not malware. The big thing to remember is that with PUPs, you’re saying “yes” to the download, even if you’re not fully aware of it because you didn’t read the fine print in the agreements or installation steps. However, Certain PUPs come bundled with spyware like keyloggers and dialers, as well as other software designed to collect your data, putting you at risk of identity theft. On the other hand, some may bombard your device with bothersome advertisements. Learn more about PUPs to avoid downloading them unknowingly. 

Cleaning Temporary Files

Temporary files consist of internet cookies and partially downloaded programs that were never installed on your system. Internet cookies store information such as user login credentials and images from websites visited. They primarily identify users and possibly prepare customized web pages or save necessary information. One of the advantages of these cookies is that they save you from entering your login information each time you visit a website. Moreover, web pages and online media you visit are stored in your browser’s cache, speeding up the browsing experience during your next visit.

The Importance of PC Cleaning

Your PC automatically stores files from the websites you visit on your hard drive. If not removed, these files accumulate over time and take up a significant amount of space on your PC. People often install programs on their PCs and forget to remove them after use, consuming much more space than they might think. Regular PC cleaning is an effective solution to prevent such issues.

→Dig Deeper: What Is Disk Cleanup And Does It Remove Viruses?

Can Deleting Files Make Your PC Faster?

While many believe that deleting files from their hard drive can increase the speed of their PC, the effect might not be as substantial as expected. Your temporary internet files can quicken the speed at which websites load because these files contain images and other media from the websites you visit. Thus, your PC doesn’t have to download them whenever you visit the same websites. However, it’s still a good practice to delete your temporary files occasionally to free up disk space.

Removing Startup Items

Some programs that you download start automatically when you turn your PC on. Although automatic startup processes are beneficial for some programs, having too many can slow down your PC. It’s advisable to manage which apps run automatically during startup to enhance PC performance.

Factors to Consider When Cleaning Your PC

While deleting temporary internet files doesn’t pose much risk, deleting the wrong programs or certain startup items can harm your PC. Start by removing temporary files and reducing startup items to see if there’s a performance improvement. Additionally, when deleting programs, it’s crucial to be fully aware of what you’re deleting to avoid problems later on.

Cleaning Sensitive Files

When you delete files from the recycle bin, they remain on your system as the deletion only removes the pointer, not the file itself. Using a file shredder can help you erase such data by overwriting the space with a pattern of 1’s and 0’s. Although this doesn’t necessarily improve performance, it helps ensure compliance with the law and prevents identity theft.

Why Cleaning Your PC is Essential?

When you own a computer, much like a car, regular maintenance and cleaning are essential. While it might not entirely increase your PC’s speed, it greatly improves efficiency and functionality, making all processes run smoother. This is because each time you visit a webpage, your computer stores all types of files to remember the website and load it faster next time. This cache gets flooded with files over time, slowing down your system. PC cleaning allows your PC to breathe, making it more responsive and liberating the storage space. Significantly, it helps in data management, eliminating all unnecessary data that might be misused or lead to identity theft.

→Dig Deeper: Manage your data this Data Privacy Day

Regular PC cleaning could also potentially save your device from significant damage. Unwanted programs and apps, especially those auto-starting ones, not only consume your system’s resources but also can contain malicious content impacting your PC. Regular cleaning will ensure any potential malware or problematic software is identified and removed promptly, thus adding a layer of protection.

How Does PC Cleaning Actually Work?

Let’s break down the PC cleaning process to simplify and understand it better. The process commences with uninstalling any unused apps and software. The next step involves clearing out temporary files, such as cache and cookies that accumulate over time and eat up storage space. Some PC cleaning programs also offer registry cleaning, which involves cleaning up the database that holds all the configuration settings for your PC. However, this is not always recommended.

→Dig Deeper: To Disable or Enable Cookies

Startup programs are another key area to look into. Having too many programs that start up when your computer boots can substantially slow down your system. Through PC cleaning, you can manage these programs and ensure only the necessary ones are allowed to auto-start. This will provide a noticeable improvement in your PC’s boot time and overall performance. Lastly, most PC cleaners come equipped with a file shredder that securely deletes sensitive files and ensures they can’t be recovered later. This helps in safeguarding your personal data and optimizing your PC’s performance.

A Cleaning Schedule and Careful Cleaning

Having a cleaning schedule for your PC enhances its performance over a longer time. A weekly check to scan and remove any threats or malware, monthly cleanup of temporary files, and a deep clean every six months can keep your PC in optimal condition. However, while deleting temporary files and unused applications is generally safe, it’s important to be careful when choosing files or applications to delete since deleting system files or vital applications can cause serious, potentially irreversible, damage to your PC.

It’s advisable to stick to cleaning procedures and tools you understand. Research and be sure of your actions before you delete anything you’re unsure about. Admittedly, this can be a time-consuming and tedious process. Thankfully, dedicated PC cleaning tools can simplify the task, autotomize the process, and eliminate the risk of unwittingly causing damage.

The Role of PC Cleaning Software

PC cleaning software, like McAfee’s Total Protection, simplifies the process of cleaning your PC. These programs are designed to detect and clear out unnecessary files, manage startup apps, and even clean the registry, often at the press of a button. It’s crucial, though, to choose a reliable and safe PC cleaning software as some can be excessive, doing more harm than good, or even carry malware. Reading reviews and understanding what each feature does is important before using PC cleaning software.

These cleaners usually come with customizable settings to suit your preferences. You can set automatic clean-ups at regular intervals, thus saving time and freeing you from the hassle of remembering to run the cleanup. A good PC cleaner should ideally also come with a file shredder to safely delete sensitive or personal files without leaving a trace.

Final Thoughts

Cleaning your PC is an essential part of maintaining its performance. While it might not drastically increase your PC’s speed, it contributes to overall efficiency, responsiveness, and longevity. It’s important to approach PC cleaning carefully, deleting with discretion to avoid accidentally removing necessary files or applications. For those who aren’t comfortable doing it manually, reliable PC cleaning software like McAfee Total Protection can simplify the process and save time. Regular cleaning keeps your PC running smoothly, prevents potential threats, and ensures your personal and sensitive information is safe. So, if you haven’t started yet, it’s never too late to begin cleaning your PC and enjoy an optimized computing experience.

The post Does PC Cleaning Improve Performance? appeared first on McAfee Blog.

Read More

Operation Zero will pay $20m for exploits like RCE, LPE and SBX, integral to a full-chain attack

Read More

Every day, life for many consumers has become more “digital” than before—this has made day-to-day tasks easier for many of us, but it also creates new challenges. From online banking to medical records, protecting our private, personal information is imperative.

Too often, the same password is used for multiple online accounts—for instance, you might log in to your online banking site with the same password you use for your personal email account. In a McAfee survey, 34% of people reported that they use the same password for multiple online accounts. Using identical passwords is convenient for us as users, but it’s also convenient for any hacker trying to steal personal information—once a hacker has access to one of your accounts, he can use a recycled password to snoop around at will.

Addressing Password Reuse and Complexity

Certainly, using more than one password and passphrases that include a mix of upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols and is at least ten characters in length goes a long way towards keeping malicious people at bay, but unfortunately, merely adding variety to your login information doesn’t guarantee security. In The Easiest Ways to Not Get Hacked, author Rebecca Greenfield included this chart showing just how much difference one character in length makes:

One of the most important accounts to keep secure is your primary email account—and here’s why: sooner or later, we all have to use the “I forgot my password” option, which typically sends a password reset email.

A hacker only needs to crack the password for your primary email account, and he’ll be able to access any of your other secure accounts simply by clicking the “forgot password” button when he sees it. This is known as a single point of failure, meaning it’s the one piece in any system that can bring down your whole system.

McAfee Pro Tip: If you’re having trouble remembering all your complex passwords on multiple accounts, a password manager can help you save time and effort while securing your accounts and devices. Learn more about McAfee’s password manager.

The Power of Two-step Verification

Establishing a separate email account for registration is one idea—in other words, your “I forgot my password” emails would all be sent to an account other than your primary email account. But even in that situation, there’s still only one password between a hacker and most of the data you want to keep from a hacker’s hands—from financial accounts and bank access to your weekly grocery delivery service. So the real question, even if you’re savvy enough to have a separate email address for password rescue, is: how do you make any email account more secure?

Two-step verification (often referred to as two-factor authentication) is a system designed to give you an extra layer of security that’s easy to use and indispensable for commercial or highly sensitive accounts. Two-step verification protects your email with not only a password but also by associating your account with a specific device or devices. A recent example of how this works comes from Google. In the case of Google’s two-step verification for Gmail accounts, a user simply re-authorizes the account every 30 days, by providing a numeric code that confirms the account.

→ Dig Deeper: Two-Factor vs. Multi-Factor Authentication: What’s the Difference?

How does it Work?

The extra step and learning a new system of security sounds like an enormous hassle, but Google has taken the pain out of the process by allowing you to obtain the code in one of three ways:

Via Text: Google can send you a text message containing the code.
Via an Authenticator App: You can download a free app that will generate a randomized code at the time of sign-in
Via a Phone Call: You can receive an automated voice message to a non-mobile phone that tells you the code.

This means that a hacker who wants to access your email account can only do so if he has access to your text messages or your landline phone. It might not stop every cybercriminal, but it does make the average hacker’s job a lot harder.

McAfee Pro Tip: Some hackers may go as far as calling your personal numbers, if they have access to them, and ask for your two-factor verification code to access your financial accounts, citing that they need it for their ongoing promotions or measures to improve your account security. This is a social engineering tactic that you should familiarize yourself with. Learn more about social engineering.

Adoption and Future Trends

This two-factor authentication, while not new, is making major inroads among websites, apps, and services that process critical information. Many corporations have used hardware-based secondary authentication codes for years, but Google and others (including Twitter) are working hard to make this enhanced authentication flow a more practical and accessible part of our working lives.

New biometric verification options, such as a retina or fingerprint scan, are also catching on among security-conscious consumers, and will likely be a feature on more devices in the future. As times change, and more sensitive information flows through these sites, we can be sure to see more of these processes put into place.

→ Dig Deeper: How Virtual Reality and Facebook Photos Helped Researchers Hack Biometric Security

Understanding the Benefits of Two-step Verification

Two-step verification offers multiple benefits in the world of digital security. The key merit is that it presents an extra hurdle for hackers to overcome. If a hacker has breached your password, they still have to pass the second level of verification. As such, two-step verification makes your information harder to access, giving you added peace of mind.

Apart from enhancing security, two-step verification simplifies the recovery process if you ever forget your password. Since you have set up a secondary recovery method, you can use it to reset your password. This reduces the risk of losing access to your account due to forgotten passwords.

→ Dig Deeper: Let’s Make Security Easy

Implementing Two-step Verification: A Step-by-Step Guide

Setting up two-step verification on your accounts is relatively straightforward process. The first step is to go to the account settings of the platform where you want to enable this feature. Once you are there, locate the two-step verification or two-factor authentication option. Click on it, and follow the prompts. Typically, the system will ask for your phone number or an alternative email address to send the verification code to complete the process. Once that is done, you are all set.

From then on, every time you log in, you will need to input not only your password but also a unique code sent to your phone number or alternative email. Remember to choose a method that is convenient for you. For instance, if you are always on your phone, it may be easier to opt for the text message verification code option. This ensures that you can always promptly complete the second step of verification whenever you log in.

→ Dig Deeper: Protect Your Social Passwords with Two-Step Verification

Challenges and Limitations of Two-step Verification

While two-step verification offers an added layer of security, it is not foolproof. One potential challenge is that a hacker could intercept the verification code. Despite its rarity, this type of security breach is possible and has occurred. Furthermore, you might face issues if you lose the device used for verification. For example, if you lose your phone and have set it up for receiving verification codes, you might struggle to access your accounts.

Moreover, two-step verification can be inconvenient for some people. It adds an extra step every time you log in, and if you do not have immediate access to your verification device, you might be locked out of your accounts. Despite these challenges, the benefits of two-step verification far outweigh the potential drawbacks, and it remains a robust and recommended security measure in the digital era.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, two-step verification offers a critical layer of security in protecting your digital assets. As life becomes increasingly digitized, and we continue to store more personal and sensitive information online, it is crucial to employ strong security measures like two-step verification. While it might seem like a bit of a hassle at times, the added security it provides, the peace of mind and the protection of your personal information make it a worthwhile endeavor. As the old saying goes, “It’s better to be safe than sorry.”

Therefore, embrace two-step verification and make it harder for hackers to gain access to your information. After all, security in the digital sphere is not a luxury, but a necessity.

To further protect your digital assets, consider McAfee+, our most comprehensive online protection software. Protect your mobile, laptops, computers, and IoT devices with reputable security software.

The post Make a Hacker’s Job Harder with Two-step Verification appeared first on McAfee Blog.

Read More

Malwarebytes said the goal of these tactics is to lure victims into downloading malicious software

Read More

The surge in these attacks has prompted DomainTools to delve into their origins and implications

Read More

Three Californian residents have been convicted of laundering millions of dollars tricked out of older adults who had fallen victim to government-imposter and tech support scams.

Read more in my article on the Hot for Security blog.

Read More