The Internet is a haven for both viruses and malware that infect millions of computers each year. These types of software are coded to do a specific task, such as steal personal information, restrict access to a computer to extort money, or just make a computer inoperable. There are many bad things that can happen because of malware, and most, if not all malware, originates from the Internet.
While it may seem like an impossible task to prevent malware from being installed on your computer, in reality, it can easily be controlled by practicing “safe computing.” My current desktop is over 4 years old, has the same first install of Windows 7, and has had no virus or malware installed because I practice “safe computing.” Safe computing isn’t complex to understand, and usually just requires setting up both your computer and network to help protect all devices that are connected to your network – most settings you will only need to change once.