While everyone should do their best to protect their computer against viruses, there is no guarantee of being completely protected against them.
The malicious software authors who make viruses are always one step ahead, they make the threat and then the anti-virus companies have to create the solution.
However there are steps that you can take to limit the risk to your system.
The first step to take is to make sure that you have the latest security for your computer from the Microsoft website.
Microsoft regularly comes up with patches and extra security for your computer.
It is advisable to check for and install any updates on a regular basis.
The next step one should take is to install an anti-virus from a recognized company.
It is important that whatever program you decide on can be upgraded regularly.
This will provide an incredible amount of security to your system and is the cornerstone of any good computer security policy.
Floppy disks can be very risky and you should never start your computer with a floppy disk in the drive if it has not been scanned for viruses.
Then again it's going to be hard to find a computer with a floppy drive in it these days.
The same rules apply though for USB flash drives - these are bootable so be careful what you keep on them and what you connect them to.
If you choose to download software you must always scan if before you install it.
Software on the internet is loaded with malicious code and is very high risk when it comes to viruses.
You should always scan e-mail attachments; even if they are from someone you know and trust.
Viruses can store themselves in attachments and then send themselves out to everyone in your e-mail address book (most worms do this).
If you find an attachment that is flagged as being infected you must delete it straight away with your anti-virus software - which has probably done this for you automatically.
You should also keep careful track of the macros on your system and only allow those that are from a trusted source.
You should also adjust the macro security settings on your computer to give you the option to enable or disable them.
A firewall is a great step in protecting your computer system.
You have the choice of using a hardware based or software based firewall.
The hardware based firewall tends to have the advantage of viruses not being able to take it over.
You also have the option of having a firewall that is a mixture of software and hardware.
Last but not least you should back up all your files on your computer.
If the worst happens it is always better to be prepared for the eventuality.
This can be very cheap to do if you have a CD burner on your computer.
CDs are very cheap these days and will give you peace of mind.
Alternatively you could use an external USB hard drive if there are lots of large files that need to be backed up.
Compared to the cost of correcting the damage a virus can do, protecting your computer in the first place is the cheapest option.
The malicious software authors who make viruses are always one step ahead, they make the threat and then the anti-virus companies have to create the solution.
However there are steps that you can take to limit the risk to your system.
The first step to take is to make sure that you have the latest security for your computer from the Microsoft website.
Microsoft regularly comes up with patches and extra security for your computer.
It is advisable to check for and install any updates on a regular basis.
The next step one should take is to install an anti-virus from a recognized company.
It is important that whatever program you decide on can be upgraded regularly.
This will provide an incredible amount of security to your system and is the cornerstone of any good computer security policy.
Floppy disks can be very risky and you should never start your computer with a floppy disk in the drive if it has not been scanned for viruses.
Then again it's going to be hard to find a computer with a floppy drive in it these days.
The same rules apply though for USB flash drives - these are bootable so be careful what you keep on them and what you connect them to.
If you choose to download software you must always scan if before you install it.
Software on the internet is loaded with malicious code and is very high risk when it comes to viruses.
You should always scan e-mail attachments; even if they are from someone you know and trust.
Viruses can store themselves in attachments and then send themselves out to everyone in your e-mail address book (most worms do this).
If you find an attachment that is flagged as being infected you must delete it straight away with your anti-virus software - which has probably done this for you automatically.
You should also keep careful track of the macros on your system and only allow those that are from a trusted source.
You should also adjust the macro security settings on your computer to give you the option to enable or disable them.
A firewall is a great step in protecting your computer system.
You have the choice of using a hardware based or software based firewall.
The hardware based firewall tends to have the advantage of viruses not being able to take it over.
You also have the option of having a firewall that is a mixture of software and hardware.
Last but not least you should back up all your files on your computer.
If the worst happens it is always better to be prepared for the eventuality.
This can be very cheap to do if you have a CD burner on your computer.
CDs are very cheap these days and will give you peace of mind.
Alternatively you could use an external USB hard drive if there are lots of large files that need to be backed up.
Compared to the cost of correcting the damage a virus can do, protecting your computer in the first place is the cheapest option.
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