How to protect your system from a sniffer?

As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and this definitely applies when it comes to network sniffers. Here are the best ways to arm your defences:

1.     Use strong AVG.com/retail antivirus software: A robust antivirus will prevent malware from invading your system. It will also detect anything that shouldn’t be on your computer — like a sniffer — and help you delete it. AVGAntiVirus Subscription has the protection you need and will help you both remove and prevent malware.

2.     Avoid public Wi-Fi: Open Wi-Fi networks, like those found in coffee shops or airports, are not to be trusted. It’s just too easy for hackers to sniff the entire network. You should avoid using them entirely unless you make sure to...

3.     Use a VPN: A Virtual Private Network encrypts your connection and hides all the data sent from your computer over the internet. That means that a sniffer spying on your traffic would just see scrambled info, and your data stays safe.

4.     Avoid insecure protocols: Another way to ensure your data stays protected while you’re out there surfing the wide web is to check for HTTPS. When you look at the address bar of a website (for example, this one), you’ll either see HTTP or HTTPS. Some browsers will show a lock symbol to indicate HTTPS (and if you click on your address bar to expand the URL, you should see the HTTPS there as well). Only HTTPS is secure, meaning that your communications are encrypted. HTTP is insecure, and your browser may show a little I instead of the lock symbol. You should avoid HTTP when possible, and especially do so when shopping online.

5.     Watch out for social engineering: As noted earlier, cybercriminals use methods like phishing emails and infected websites to trick victims into unwittingly downloading sniffers. Practice smart browsing tactics and common sense to avoid anything fishy.