Employability Skills III: Maintaining and securing computer systems

Hello students, welcome to Kwickprep. Your computer is slow, the keyboard is sticky, and a strange pop-up says you won a prize. What went wrong? Today we will learn how to keep a computer clean, fast and safe from threats like viruses and hackers.

Maintenance means regular care that keeps a machine working well. A computer, like a scooter, needs regular care. Maintenance keeps it fast and makes it last longer. It also prevents sudden breakdowns during an exam or a meeting. And it protects your data from being lost or stolen.

Let us start with physical cleaning. Always shut down and unplug the computer before cleaning. Clean the keyboard by turning it upside down and using a soft brush. Wipe the screen with a soft, dry microfibre cloth, never with water sprayed on it. Keep the air vents free of dust, so the computer does not overheat.

Some daily habits prevent damage. Keep food and drinks away from the computer. Use a surge protector or UPS, because voltage in many areas rises and falls. A UPS gives battery power for a short time when the electricity goes. Always shut down properly instead of pulling the plug.

Software also needs care. Uninstall apps you no longer use, because they take space and memory. Delete temporary files, using Disk Cleanup on Windows. Stop unwanted apps from starting when the computer turns on. Install operating system and app updates, because they fix bugs and security holes.

A backup is an extra copy of your data kept in another place. If a hard disk fails or a phone is stolen, the backup saves you. You can back up to an external hard disk or a pen drive. You can also back up to cloud storage, like Google Drive or OneDrive. Back up regularly, not only after a disaster.

Now, the threats. Malware is short for malicious software, which means software made to cause harm. A virus attaches to files and spreads when they are shared. A worm spreads by itself across a network. A Trojan looks like a useful app but hides harm inside. Ransomware locks your files and demands money to unlock them.

Some attacks trick people instead of machines. Phishing is a fake message that pretends to be a bank or company to steal your details. A message saying your KYC expires today, click here, is a common example. Hacking means breaking into a computer or account without permission. Spyware secretly watches what you type and do.

How do you know a computer may be infected? It suddenly becomes very slow. Pop-up adverts keep appearing, even when the browser is closed. Files go missing or cannot be opened. Your friends get messages from your account that you never sent.

Here are the main protections. Antivirus software finds and removes malware, and Windows Security comes built into Windows. A firewall blocks unwanted connections from the network. A strong password mixes capital letters, small letters, numbers and symbols. Two-factor authentication asks for a second proof, like a one-time password, or OTP, on your phone. Encryption scrambles data so only the right person can read it.

Pause and predict. You get an SMS from your bank asking you to share an OTP to stop your card being blocked. What should you do? Never share the OTP, because a real bank never asks for it. Call the bank's official number instead. You can also report the fraud on the national cyber crime helpline, 1930.

Finally, habits that keep you safe every day. Download apps only from official stores and websites. Do not open email attachments or links from strangers. Do not plug in unknown pen drives. Lock your screen when you leave, and log out on shared computers.

Let us revise what we learned today. Clean the hardware only after shutting down and unplugging. Keep software fast with cleanup and updates. Back up your data regularly, locally or in the cloud. Malware includes viruses, worms, Trojans and ransomware. Protect yourself with antivirus, firewall, strong passwords and two-factor login.