Hackers have turned to Twitter to spread malicious websites over the Internet, which could put your computer at risk for getting a virus.

Because Tweets are limited to 140 characters, many Twitter users convert their links to a shorter URL with the use of websites such as http://url4t.com/. This turns even the most universally recognized URL, Google.com, into the unrecognizable short link http://url4t.com/_5C. Hackers have taken advantage of this feature by creating Twitter accounts solely for the purpose of marketing malicious websites.

Before you click on a link within a Tweet, make sure you know that the account is legitimate. Better yet, avoid clicking short links from Twitter accounts that you do not follow. Also, use precaution when clicking on links within ReTweets — hackers often search for legitimate tweets and then ReTweet them with a different, malicious URL. For more tips regarding Twitter security, you can follow Spam at http://twitter.com/spam.

Naturally, the best underlying defense against computer viruses is installing (and frequently updating) a security system on your computer. Not all computer security software is created equal, so consider getting advice from someone you know about which to purchase. After years of virus removal experience, A+ Mobile PC Doctors has found that AVG Internet Security 9.0 outperforms all other brands of Internet security systems. If you find that your laptop has indeed contracted a virus, don’t hesitate to contact A+ Mobile PC Doctors, an experienced Boston computer repair company. Outside of Massachusetts, we are also offer national computer repair services for commercial and residential clients.