Malwarebytes

 If you've ever had a virus on your computer, you know how frustrating it is to try and save your personal files and also get rid of the virus. Sometimes it costs money to get rid of the virus because you couldn't quite figure it out yourself, or you had to completely reformat and reinstall your operating system, losing everything in the process.

Your personal devices are no different. They need protection just like your tablets, computers, and home network. You have a firewall for your network, you have an antivirus program for your computer, you need protection for your hand held devices as well!

Malwarebytes is an excellent tool to use to help protect your system against attacks while browsing the internet, downloading apps, or listening to your favorite podcast. (or white noise while you sleep, you do you!)

They have created a mobile app that you can get for Android or iPhone through your App store. You can use the service for free to simply scan your phone manually for issues. I've used it for a month now and I have to say it is so nice to have something do the work for me!

To begin, you first find the app in your trusted app store:
Once you've found the icon above, click download and let it install on your device. After opening the app, walk through the steps to personalize your information. 

This is an example of the features included, this is not an exact depiction due to layouts of different devices.


After installing it, play around with some of the features and do your very first scan. Let it run (it will only take a few minutes) and see what the results are. If it found anything suspicious, it will let you know. It also has a score to help you stay safe. If your score goes below 100, you can do things to "boost your score" which include updating your virus definitions to stay on the latest security or having it scan your incoming text messages in case something fishy comes through.

After using it for a month, I finally purchased the basic plan for $20 a year. I really like this program and I recommend it for keeping your personal devices safe.
Check out the link for more information!

Mobile Security Information




Popular posts from this blog

Summer tech security

 Going into the summer months can be daunting when you're a working parent with kids at home. You might feel concerned about their screen time and the various un-monitored hours they could spend on their devices. Now is the best time to talk with your child about their device use and making sure that they understand you are their safe place! Use this time to confirm with your child that they can talk to you about anything . You are there to keep them safe! Remind them that you can look at their device at any time and if you are curious about something, that they will have a conversation with you and together you can work through the issue. Give them the opportunity to be outside and spend time with friends without  a device. There are lots of summer camps and fun activities this summer! Get your child out there!  I recommend creating a tech friendly summer plan to help your child feel like they're getting what they want while also getting what you feel is right for your f...
Read more

Google AI tools

 Google recently released access to their AI tools for all ages and its as if none of them have kids of their own! Releasing a powerful tool like that for all age users inside an educational setting is another way for students to find content they don't need to see or learn behaviors they don't need to learn. I'm not against AI. I use it constantly. I am always looking up things that I don't quite know, or using the conversational style researching to figure out problems I am working through with my job. Sometimes its nice to type in a query that is going through my head in one fashion and asking it to word it more clearly for another search I need to make. AI is a great tool in my toolbelt and I can see how it becomes an every day habit. However, our kids brains aren't developed! Their pre-frontal cortex hasn't finished growing and introducing them to a tool as powerful as AI that can speak back to you in a conversational manner can cause some serious problems!...
Read more

Back to School tips!

 Welcome back to another school year! A new school year brings a lot of new plans, new ideas, new habits, and new rituals. Make sure to include safe technology use with those new habits by creating a family friendly technology schedule or set of habits that everyone can follow. Ease into the Day * Don't allow television, ipads, kindles, or cell phones before you leave for school. Instead, allow your child to eat breakfast, get dressed, and have a small amount of quiet play time or reading time to ease into the day. This helps regulate their system to keep them calm and prepare their mind for the work ahead. Mimic the behavior you want to see * If you require no tech for your child, try to do the same for yourself. Yes we all have emails that need to be answered, texts that come through for last minute spirit days, or the random phone call before 7am asking for a ride. But be open about your use "I'm sorry, I just got a text and I need to make sure its not from school, hold...
Read more