Five Common Computer Problems for IT Techs

Five Common Computer Problems for IT Techs

Careers in information technology are in high demand because they are future-focused, lucrative, and versatile. Are you looking into starting your career as an IT tech or help desk employee? You’ll likely be in charge of helping customers fix a few common computer problems.

So what are the most common computer issues? We’ve highlighted the questions IT techs often face regarding malware issues, unsecured Wi-Fi risks, and more.

1. What are the differences between viruses, trojans, and malware?

• Viruses: One of the most common computer problems. These programs infect computers and copy themselves to spread from one computer system to another (literately like an illness).

• Trojans: These applications actually look like a normal app, but secretly have codes that allow other activities to occur on your computer, such as allowing someone else to control it.

• Malware: Short for “malicious software,” this term describes anything that is specifically designed to harm your computer or steal your information.

2. Can using public Wi-Fi be dangerous?

Many of us like to use free Wi-Fi, especially in coffee shops, airports, hotels, and so on. But keep in mind that there are public Wi-Fi security risks. Even if a Wi-Fi network has a password, it does not keep you safe from other people on the same network. When you use a public Wi-Fi account, you are sharing a network with many other people, meaning your data is at risk. You can protect yourself from unsecured Wi-Fi risks by turning off all your sharing options (including printing), enabling your firewall, and using HTTPS when visiting websites.

3. How can I prevent falling into the trap of email spam?

While some spam emails are quite obvious, others can be pretty sneaky. Most spammers rely on “phishing.” Phishing is when a spammer tries to make their email look like it’s coming from a legitimate source in order to steal personal information. These emails will entice you to click on links that will prompt you to willingly input your information. You can avoid falling into these traps if you check the URL and type it into your browser yourself, instead of clicking on it.

4. What happens when a site I use gets hacked?

We’ve all heard about the websites of large corporations being compromised, and some of you might even be victims of this. When websites are compromised, hackers are usually after usernames and passwords in order to get ahold of personal and financial information. In order to avoid being hacked, be sure to always use strong, difficult-to-remember passwords, and most importantly, use different passwords for each site. Also be careful with services such as iCloud and avoid connecting any of your clouds to secure accounts like your personal email. Once a hacker has access to a personal cloud account they are able to get into all other accounts connected to it, such as iPhones, iPads, email, and more.

5. Do I really need to eject my USB drives?

Have you ever wondered why your computer notifies you when it is safe to remove USB drives? It’s because computers use “write caching” to improve performance. Sometimes, when you copy something to a USB drive, the computer will actually wait until it has a few other tasks to perform so it can do them all at once. When you tell the computer that you are ejecting your USB, it finishes anything left in the queue and prevents operating system problems like losing your work.

If you have a love for math, enjoy using code, and have knack for creating innovative computer tools and programs, consider a lucrative career in IT. Our IT training programs will dive even deeper into these topics to help you prepare for this rewarding career.

Do you need to step up your IT support game?

Earn a Tier 1 Support Specialist certification in as little as six months.

View Course Details: Help Desk Analyst: Tier 1 Support Specialist