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If your computer has access to the internet and e-mail, then it may be only a matter of time before you fall victim to a malicious spyware program, virus, worm, or hacker. Every day we get customers coming in who are experiencing computer problems due to these threats, and it is only getting worse.

What’s even more distressing is that many of these computer users are back in my repair shop a few days or weeks later with the EXACT same problems and end up having to spend ANOTHER hefty fee for restoring their computer back to normal.

Just imagine having these kinds of problem with your restaurant. Your POS systems being infiltrated, damaged and completely destroyed by viruses and worms. You absolutely have no way of protecting your restaurant POS system if you do not take extra precautions.

Here are Three of The Most Dangerous Threats You Must Be Aware Of

One of the most dangerous aspects of online threats is their ability hide their existence and penetrate your system without your knowledge. Hackers and the authors of malicious spyware and malware programs really exert vast amount of effort just to create programs that are difficult to identify and remove.

This can mean that malicious computer programs can directly be downloaded and work its dirty tricks on your system before you aware of its existence. Below are the two most common threats you’ll need to guard against with a brief description of what they are:

Spyware: Spyware is a computer program often installed without the user’s knowledge. This program gathers information about you and your online activities and then reports it back to a third party. Sometimes advertisers uses this sneaky program to secretly monitor their customers’ activities. So Better becareful on what website you visit before clicking on that “download” button.

Most spywares are secretly attached to files you download over the internet, like free programs, music files, and screen savers. While thinking you are only downloading a legitimate program to add emoticons to your e-mails, you are unknowingly also downloading a full load of spyware programs.

Malware: A portmanteau of the words malicious and software. This type of computer program is designed specifically to infiltrate and damage your system, this include viruses, worms and Trojans. Malware is a bit harder to remove and will try to fight back when you try to clean it from your system. In some extreme cases, we had no other choice but to wipe out the entire hard disk and start with a complete re-install of the operating system. Frequently, malware is also designed to send itself from your e-mail account to all the friends and colleagues in your address book without your knowledge or consent.

Hackers: Programmers who find breaking in to their friends or coworkers’ computer is fun, but causes no damage, they love the challenge of being able to infiltrate a computer system and brag about it. Today these hackers mostly love to design spyware and malware programs that attacks computer systems causing extreme damage.

So if you’re a restaurant or any other retail establishment owner, having no kind of security for your POS systems at all, then your system is surely one of the easy targets.

Some of them may have criminal intent and purposely use these programs to steal money from individuals and companies. Some have a grudge against the big software vendors and take their revenge by secretly attacking their customers. Others does it just for fun. Whatever the reason, hackers are getting more intelligent and advanced in their ability to penetrate computer systems and networks.

Here Four Simple Steps You Can Take To Secure Your Computer From These Attacks

1. Never forget to keep your antivirus software updated at all times. You ought to make sure it has an auto scan and has an update feature that will make sure your computer is running the most current protection available and regularly scanning for threats.

2. Instead of just sticking to one why not consider an alternative browser to Internet Explorer like the Mozilla Firefox. Hackers have figured out ways to access and easily download malicious programs to your computer via a security hole in Internet Explorer. Even worse about this is that you don’t even have to click on anything or download a program to get infected. You are especially vulnerable if you’re using an older version of Windows such as Windows 98.

Mozilla is a completely free web browser that does not have the same security problems as IE. A few of our clients reporting that they like their Mozilla browser better than MS Internet Explorer. Shifting from IE to Firefox is a simple and costless way to add more protection to your computer. To download this free browser, go to www.mozilla.org.

3. Don’t open suspicious looking e-mails or attachments, especially from email addresses who are not listed on your address book. This goes without saying since most viruses are distributed by e-mail. If you feel it’s suspicious, delete it immediately!

4. Setting up a firewall. A firewall is a computer program that acts as a security barrier, protecting files and programs on one network from users on another network. many internet users will get a DSL or cable Internet connection and plug it without a firewall.

Always remember that the internet is an open field where you are vulnerable from all sorts of things that may come in your way. You have access to the world, but on the other side, the world has access to YOU. Hackers have programs that automatically scan the Internet for computers connected via a cable or DSL connection without a firewall. Once they find one, they they immediately access your computer, download vicious programs, and might even use your computer to reproduce their ravaging viruses to your friends or other computers without your knowledge or permission.

Just one simple click os a mouse and they’ll gain easy access to your restaurant POS system, collect all customer and employee data, destroy your computer system, and sends out virus-infected emails to your customers and friends using your email account! It will surely be the end of your hard work, a huge waste of money on the restaurant POS solutions you’ve bought, and possibly the downfall of your business if you let this things happen to you.

Michael Tash of POS-For-Restaurants, is the author and Vice President of Customer Relations for POS-For-Restaurants.com. With over 20 years of restaurant experience, POS-For-Restaurants.com helps you use your technology to be more efficient and more profitable.