A. Secure External Drive Data
Securing external drive data prevents any copying of files or data to or from your system through external drives or devices. As a result, both the theft of your information and the potential introduction of harmful files into your system are effectively thwarted. This comprehensive security measure not only guarantees the protection of your data but also eradicates the risk of transferring any detrimental files.
i. Configuring Secure External Drive data
To configure Secure External Drive data, please follow these steps:
- Open Quick Heal Total Security.
- In the left-hand menu, go to Privacy > Secure External Drive Data.
- Turn Secure External Drive Data on.
Secure External Drive data feature is activated.
- you can choose from the following policy options for external drives:
a) Read Only:
This option allows data transfer from USB drives and CD/DVD devices to the system but prevents data transfer from the system to these external devices. This is the default selection.
b) Block Complete Access:
This option completely prevents data transfer between the system and all external devices.
c) Prompt for Password When USB/Mobile Is Connected:
Selecting this option will prompt you to enter a password when you connect a USB drive or mobile device to your system. Access will only be granted to authorized devices. Please note that this option requires both Secure External Drive Data and Password Protection to be enabled.
d) Block Only Mobile Devices:
This option restricts access specifically to mobile devices.
- To save your settings, click the Save button.
B. Advanced Privacy
Quick Heal offers secure file deletion, registry restoration, and screen locker protection, empowering you to effectively manage and safeguard your sensitive data with confidence.
I. Secure Delete
Secure Delete is a feature designed for the permanent deletion of unwanted files or folders from your system. If you need to remove any confidential data, Secure Delete ensures that the data is erased in such a way that it becomes absolutely impossible to recover using any method.
Quick Heal's Secure Delete feature removes files or folders directly from the hard drive, rendering them unrecoverable, even when attempting to use Recovery Software.
Deletion Methods
Following are the three file deletion methods available in Quick Heal.
Deletion Methods | Description |
---|---|
One Pass Random – Quick Data Destruction | The One Pass Random deletion method employs random letters to overwrite data, offering a swift and highly secure means of deletion. Once data is deleted using this method, it becomes irrecoverable. This method is the optimal choice for the majority of users and serves as the default file deletion method. |
Two Pass – More Secure Destruction | The Two Pass deletion method utilizes twice the number of random letters to thoroughly overwrite data, enhancing its security measures. Once data is deleted using this method, it becomes impervious to recovery by any data retrieval software. |
DoD – Standard Data Destruction | The DoD deletion method adheres to Department of Defense guidelines by employing encryption techniques involving random letters to overwrite data. Once data is deleted using this method, it becomes impervious to recovery by any data retrieval software. |
i. Using Secure Delete
To delete files or folders using the Secure Delete feature, please follow these steps:
- Open Quick Heal Total Security.
- Go to Privacy > Advanced Privacy.
- Click Secure Delete.
The Select Secure Delete window will be displayed.
- Choose the appropriate secure delete option from the following:
· One Pass Random – Quick Data Destruction
· Two Pass – More Secure Destruction
· DoD – Standard Data Destruction
- Click the + Add File/Folder button to locate and select the file/folder you wish to delete. The selected file/folder will be listed.
- Optionally, enable ‘Secure Delete’ option for files and folders by right-clicking, making it possible to delete data by simply right-clicking and selecting Secure Delete.
- Click Delete button.
A dialog box will appear, indicating that the deletion is irreversible.
- Confirm by clicking Yes to proceed with the deletion process.
The selected files will be deleted, and a Deletion Summary screen will be displayed.
II. Registry Restore
The Registry is a repository that stores crucial information and configurations related to the operating system's hardware, software, user profiles, and preferences.
Whenever a user modifies Control Panel settings, File Associations, System Policies, or installs new software, these alterations are recorded and stored in the Registry.
Malicious software often focuses on the System Registry to benefit itself, causing disruptions to the device.
Quick Heal's Registry Restore feature is designed to undo changes made by malware in the essential system registry area and other affected areas. Additionally, it performs repairs on the system registry to restore its proper functionality.
i. Configuring Registry Restore
To Configure Registry Restore in Quick Heal Total Security, follow these steps:
- Open Quick Heal Total Security.
- Go to Privacy > Advanced Privacy.
- Click Registry Restore and select from the following options as needed:
· Choose Restore critical device registry areas (OS Part) to restore critical system registry entries.
· Select Repair malicious registry entries to scan and rectify system registry entries associated with malware.
· Click Default to revert to default settings if necessary.
- Save your settings by clicking the Save button.
III. Screen Locker Protection
Screen lockers are malicious programs that effectively lock your device, denying access.
With Screen Locker Protection, you have the capability to establish a keyboard shortcut combination that initiates a device clean-up process, effectively eliminating these malicious programs.
i. Configuring Screen Locker Protection
To configure Screen Locker Protection in Quick Heal Total Security, follow these steps:
- Open Quick Heal Total Security.
- Go to Privacy > Advanced Privacy, and then access Screen Locker Protection.
- To activate Screen Locker Protection, select Protect from screen lockers. This option is pre-selected by default.
- Select a letter from the drop-down list to create a shortcut combination, which will include Ctrl+Alt+Shift. By default, the letter A is selected.
- Click Save.
Note: After installing the product, it is necessary to restart your device at least once to initiate the activation of this feature.
C. Anti – Tracker
Anti-Tracker safeguards your privacy by preventing website trackers from monitoring your online activities. These trackers collect data to analyze users' browsing preferences and behaviour’s, which is then utilized for marketing and sales purposes, resulting in personalized advertisements appearing on every website you visit.
To block trackers, please follow these steps:
- Activate the Web Extension for your browsers by visiting the link:https://www.quickheal.co.in/anti-tracker-v24plus
- Configure the Anti-Tracker within your Quick Heal antivirus product. Anti-Tracker provides a comprehensive count of blocked trackers and categorizes them into analytics trackers, social media trackers, advertising trackers, and others.
a. Configuring Anti – Tracker
To configure Anti-Tracker, follow these steps:
- Open Quick Heal Total Security.
- Go to Privacy > Anti-Tracker.
A summary of all blocked trackers is presented. Here, you have the option to adjust various features, including:
Manage Extensions, Manage Exclusion, Clear Browser Cache, and Anti-Tracker Setting.
i. Manage Extensions
To manage extensions in Anti-Tracker, follow these steps:
- Access the Anti-Tracker screen.
- Click on Manage Extensions.
- A list of web browsers will be presented, each accompanied by toggle buttons that allow you to enable or disable Anti-Tracker for that specific browser.
- If no extension is currently added for a particular browser, click on Add to include the extension for that browser. The extension for the chosen browser will be downloaded, and a confirmation prompt will appear, confirming the addition to that specific browser (e.g., Add to Chrome).
- Click Add extension within the confirmation box to complete the process. The extension will then be successfully added to the selected browser.
ii. Manage Exclusion
To manage exclusions within Anti-Tracker, follow these steps:
1. On the Anti – Tracker Screen, click Manage Exclusions.
- Enter the websites for which you wish to prevent Anti-Tracker from blocking trackers. Then, click + button. It's important to include only those websites that you trust. If needed, you can remove any websites from the list.
- Save your changes by clicking the Save button.
iii. Clear Browse Cache
Clearing a browser's cache can enhance its performance. To perform this action, follow these steps:
- On the Anti-Tracker screen, locate and select Clear Browser Cache.
- A dialog box named Clear Browser Cache will appear, displaying options for installed browsers.
- You have the flexibility to manually clear the cache for a specific website or configure automatic cache clearing at preferred intervals:
· To establish an automatic cache clearing schedule, click the configuration icon and specify the desired schedule frequency and time. Then, click Save to store these settings.
· To instantly clear the cache, choose a browser and click Clear Cache Now. This action will promptly remove the browser's cache.
- The browser's cache will be automatically deleted based on your chosen settings.
- To exit the Clear Browser Cache dialog, click Close.
iv. Anti – Tracker Settings
To configure Anti-Tracker settings, follow these steps:
- Access the Anti-Tracker screen and click on Anti-Tracker Settings. You will see a list of tracker categories.
- Choose the trackers you wish to allow or block based on your preferences.
- To retain your settings, click Save. Ensure that you have a clear reason for allowing or blocking any specific trackers.
Note: Anti-Tracker is compatible with Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and Microsoft Edge browsers.
b. Removing Anti – Tracker extension from browser
If you are currently utilizing Anti-Tracker extension version 1.0.X, it is necessary to uninstall it and replace it with the newer version, 2.0.X, to ensure smooth and uninterrupted functionality. To remove the old extension, please follow the specific steps relevant to your web browser:
Google Chrome:
- Open Google Chrome.
- Click the three dots (ellipsis) located in the upper right corner of the browser.
- Navigate to Extensions > Manage Extensions.
- Select the extension you wish to uninstall, then click the Remove button.
- Confirm the removal by clicking Remove once again.
For Microsoft Edge:
- Open Microsoft Edge.
- Click the three dots located in the upper right corner of the browser.
- Navigate to Extensions > Manage Extensions.
- Select the extension you wish to uninstall, then click Remove button.
- Confirm the removal by clicking Remove once more.
Mozilla Firefox:
- Open Firefox.
- Click the three horizontal lines situated in the upper right corner of the browser.
- Select Add-ons.
- Navigate to the Extension Tab
- Pick the extension you wish to uninstall, and then click Remove button.
- Confirm the removal by clicking Remove once more.
D. Data Breach Alert
A data breach occurs when your personal information, including usernames, passwords, email addresses, and more, becomes exposed on the internet. Cybercriminals infiltrate organizational data systems and reveal or pilfer the personal data of individuals who have registered or signed up with these organizations.
For instance, consider the case of the RazorPay website, which experienced a security breach, leading to the exposure of millions of credit card details online.
It is essential to consistently monitor for potential breaches or leaks of your data.
i. Configuring Data Breach Alert
To configure Data Breach Alert, please follow these steps:
- Open Quick Heal Total Security.
- In the left-hand menu, navigate to Privacy > Data Breach Alert.
- Enter your email address, then click Check button.
Ensure that you use the email address commonly associated with your registrations across various organizations. You can also search for other email addresses if needed.
The results of any data breaches will be displayed with comprehensive details. Please note that to perform data breach searches, your device must be connected to the internet. In some cases, the retrieval of results may take some time. If you encounter issues with retrieving information after multiple attempts, please contact Quick Heal technical support for assistance.
ii. Learn how to secure your data
In the event of a data breach, there's no need to panic. Taking control of your personal information security is entirely within your grasp. Follow the steps below to bolster the security of your personal data.
Step 1:
Create a strong password for the affected websites or services. If you've used the same password elsewhere, promptly change it. Avoid reusing previous passwords.
Step 2:
If available, activate two-factor authentication on these websites or services.
Step 3:
Change the password for the impacted email address through the respective website or app.