It doesn’t surprise me to learn that 90% of all email sent today is SPAM. I rarely have to check my email. I look at my kid’s inbox and it seems higher because they never even check their SPAM folder, let alone delete any of it!
However, the history of computer viruses and other malware really intrigues me. It fascinates me that someone even thought this stuff up as a way to get money. What started out as a smattering of 357 pieces of Malware has grown to 54 million unique pieces of Malware out on the interwebs and billions of dollars to clean up!
In order to visualize how this ever-growing problem affects you, I’d like you to take a look at the latest from McAfee. We have a video and an infographic that shows the history of Malware. I am sure that even those of you who consider yourselves tech novices will remember a few of the big ones such as “I Love You” and “Melissa”.
I hope that now you can see why I am constantly harping about having a comprehensive security suite on your computer. Believe it or not, it isn’t because I write a blog for McAfee – though of course I believe in their products. It is because I have fallen victim to many of these scams.
Perhaps you remember when I clicked on a bad link in Twitter and had my Twitter account hacked. I am also certainly one of the 27% who have had their kids download a virus onto the computer. It is an incredible inconvenience, can cost lots of money to fix and you can lose family photos and important documents in the wake. My heart still aches when I think of all the vacation photos that I lost because they weren’t backed up anywhere!
Perhaps now you understand why it is so important to protect all of your devices – pc’s, macs, tablets and smartphones. It’s like the “wild west” out on the interwebs!
Stay safe out there!
By: Tracy Mooney
