How to secure your computer and mobile phone against hackers and viruses

The rankings of the most widespread malicious codes usually always contain the same names. From this, one could conclude that cybercriminals are not programming any other threats. But the reality is completely different, hundreds of thousands of uninvited visitors roam the Internet every day, relying on the gullibility of people or the weaknesses of the system.

Danger lurks for users most often on the Internet. However, uninvited visitors can also hide on portable media, such as various external drives and USB flash drives. It is therefore appropriate to secure any device even when it is not connected to the Internet.

This is especially true of smartphones and tablets, which are appearing in domestic households more and more often. At the same time, many people do not even realize that these mobile devices can be attacked in exactly the same way as classic computers.

So it may not be worth underestimating protection. Special programs can protect computers, tablets and smartphones from intruders. In addition to classic antiviruses, these are, for example, applications that focus only on spy software and the search for Trojan horses.

Other programs can find the so-called in the operating system. keyloggers that are able to record every keystroke and send the collected data to the attacker.

Only one security program of its kind should be installed on both the PC and mobile phone. Two antiviruses on the disk can do a lot of mischief. But the antivirus itself is not a guarantee of safety.

Updates are also very important, because it is errors in the operating system and various programs that computer pirates very often exploit to sneak in uninvited visitors.

A number of security programs are offered completely free of charge. Creators earn primarily from advertising that appears in such applications. Alternatively, in some cases they also limit the functionality of security programs. Some antiviruses, for example, can find malicious codes, but to delete them, you need to purchase the full version of the application.

The Eset Home Security package of security applications, which is currently available in the 2025 version, tries to protect not only desktop computers, but also mobile phones and computer tablets. It contains antispyware, a personal firewall, an antispam filter or, for example, an antivirus.

The package is offered in different versions, the advanced ones offer, for example, a password manager, the possibility of encrypting sensitive files or securing files and folders. The Premium variant even boasts proactive protection of your digital identity.

The basic variant is intended for one device, while the annual subscription costs CZK 990. If you need to protect, for example, two devices, the price will only rise to CZK 1,115.

Avast Free Antivirus, which was created in the late 1980s by two Czech computer enthusiasts Eduard Kučera and Pavel Baudiš, can be a free alternative to the paid package from Eset. It was originally called anti-virus advanced set (AVAST).

During its existence, this antivirus has become very popular. One of the reasons is certainly the fact that the company allows you to download it for free for home and non-commercial use. However, the more advanced version, which offers more functions, is already paid for. It works out, as in the case of the package from Eset, at 990 CZK per year.

The free version of the program is equipped with a great user interface that is very intuitive. You can easily search for viruses and spyware on the hard disk directly from the program window, but there is also the option of scheduling an automatic disk scan or a resident shield that monitors the security of the operating system in the background during normal work.

The main advantage of the antivirus is primarily the low operating requirements, which, unlike some competing solutions, do not unnecessarily reduce the performance of the entire computer. This will be especially appreciated by owners of older PCs that are not as powerful.

If you’re looking for mobile phone protection, Avira Mobile Security is worth a look. Of course, this application can also protect computer tablets. On the mentioned devices, it works in essentially the same way as antivirus applications on classic desktop computers.

It can therefore monitor the files flowing from and to the device, and if it encounters a suspicious or infected file, it will warn about it. At the same time, according to user experience, the tool from the company Avira is relatively successful in capturing threats.

But this free antivirus can do much more. If the device is lost, it can find it and show its location on the map, but the device must be connected to the Internet. If for some reason the device cannot be recovered, it can be remotely locked or even erased.

Some malicious codes play hide and seek with users. We are talking, for example, about programs that record keystrokes. They try to remain hidden as long as possible so that they can capture login data and other sensitive information.

It is not at all easy to detect such garbage on the computer. For example, the majority of antivirus and antispyware applications are at a loss for programs that record keystrokes. Therefore, it is necessary to search for these uninvited guests using special applications, such as LMT Anti Logger, which is part of LMT AntiMalware.

It can detect virtually any tracker during a one-time test. LMT Anti Logger offers real-time protection against viruses, Trojans and keyloggers, including screenloggers, clipboard loggers and webcam loggers.

It includes a simple password manager, the possibility to configure security or protection against unauthorized changes in the system registry. Despite a number of advanced features, the creators offer the application for free, only encouraging users to make a voluntary contribution of any amount.