Here’s another one.
Another bogus link that entices people to click it. I mean, that is a really cute puppy! Facebook is a great resource for businesses. That being said, it can be a breeding ground for viruses.
Facebook is social by its very nature. Information is shared quickly, which is good and bad. In this case, one <click> leads to a virus post sitting out there in a feed. Then someone else sees it and goes, “Oh, well if Bill liked it, it MUST be good! <click>”
Wham, that’s when you get hit with a virus or Trojan. Most people aren’t running ESET NOD32 though. With ESET, it’s at least going to catch the Trojan that was downloaded to your hard drive. It’s better just to not click links like that to begin with. Why tempt fate?
A virus can bring down your entire business in a matter of seconds. Once a virus (or in this case, a Trojan Downloader) is installed, your system is no longer in your control. Networking can be rendered useless, preventing your computers from talking to one another. Software won’t run, meaning your consignment software is dead in the water.
The extent of damage a virus can do is vast. The damage can be so bad that at the end of the day, it’s simply not worth it to try and fix up the rest of the damage. It ends up being quicker and more cost-effective to backup your data, erase the hard drive and reinstall Windows. That’s not exactly fun either, so while it’s possible to recover, it comes at a cost.
It’s really easy to avoid all of this. Here’s the checklist:
- Use ESET Nod32 Antivirus, period.
- Install Firefox 4 and the NoScript Add-on
- Talk to your employees and co-workers about these silly, fake scams that float through Facebook – awareness is everything!
If you clicked on the puppy and didn’t get a prompt from your antivirus software that the threat was blocked, chances are you are infected. I’m not saying you shouldn’t use Facebook – no need to throw the baby out with the bathwater. I am trying to encourage and spread awareness. We use awareness in our everyday lives to avoid pyramid schemes and sales tactics. Let’s bring that same power to the virtual world.
Sure it’s just 0s and 1s, but this virtual stuff can end up costing you real money.
Dean
I am a Software Developer, System Administrator, and consignment software specialist. I currently manage hundreds of consignment workstations, point of sale systems, and database servers all across North America and I am the developer of Peeps' Software, Peeps2Go, and Peeps' Consignor Login for iOS and Android. I've been helping consignment & resale store-owners since 2003. I started The Computer Peeps in February of 2010. Peeps' Software launched in 2016 and is now on hundreds of systems all across North America. I have successfully converted dozens of stores from all of the major consignment software systems. After 20 years of working with consignment stores, I understand the unique challenges consignment & resale store-owners face. From electrical issues in old buildings or strip malls, to advocating for them when their old consignment software keeps crashing.