Have you ever really thought about how high the cost of malware infection might be? Most of us have maintained a vague fear of viruses since the dawn of the internet. And, though many of us know that the best protection doesn’t come free, relatively few people feel the need to open our wallets. Unfortunately, the true cost of malware might be even higher than you expect.
Expert Recovery
The first cost many of us think of when our computer becomes infected is tech support. If you can’t remove the malware yourself, you’ll have to turn to a professional (like our own friendly techs) to get the job done. How much does this cost? We’ve heard of people paying up to $300 for virus removal services(!), but the cost is typically closer to $150.
Lost Data
What happens if even a tech expert can’t recover your infected computer? Unless you backup frequently, you run the risk of losing everything that was stored on there. This could include photos, videos, music, personal information, and work or school documents: all gone.
Replacements
In some extreme cases, a computer can be corrupted so deeply that it’s a complete loss. If this happens to you, you’ll not only be shopping for a new computer, but perhaps new software, as well. Thankfully, many computer applications are now sold as subscriptions and downloaded over the Internet. But, even if you don’t have to re-purchase all of your favorite programs, downloading and installing them all can take time. If you’ve had to buy a new computer to replace one after a malware infection, check out our handy Setting Up A New Computerguide!
Business Risks
What could the cost of malware be for your business? If the malware-infected PC is used for business, a new level of risk presents itself: loss of livelihood. If any of the information stored on the computer is sensitive to the business or your customers, you–at the very least–run the risk of seriously damaging their trustin you. And a customer who doesn’t trust you is far less likely to keep spending money with you.
Rental Costs
Many of us would find it hard to maintain our day-to-day routine without a computer. What’s a computer-dependant person to do without access to their own working PC? You may have to rent one, which could cost $100/month or as much as $100/day depending on the local market and your hardware needs.
Coping with Malware by Blocking It
Even putting aside the possibility of shelling out cold, hard cash to recover from a virus, it will surely take a toll on your peace of mind. To avoid paying the price of higher stress and other costs mentioned above, we highly recommend you install top-flight virus protection software and keep it running.
For Security September 2018, Friendly PC is offering a $20 discount on our Virus Protection Package! All month long, you can get a PC tuneup and ongoing antivirus software for just $199! See our Specialspage for details.
