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Viruses usually come as an attachment to an email. Anti-Virus software is the most important piece of software that you can have! The time involved in repairing problems created by viruses can be extensive and expensive.
Here are a few things you can do to protect your
computer from viruses:
Enable E-Mail protection. All e-mails
are scanned and you are notified if a virus
is attached to the e-mail.
Update your anti-virus software.
Updates tell the software what viruses are
out there and how to remove them. Some software
companies give you three free months. You
can renew your subscription on-line for
a year at a time. It is a small price to
pay for a big headache later on down the
road.
Occasionally scan your hard drive.
You should run a complete scan of your hard
drive, just in case the software missed
it.
Be suspicious. Do not open every
attachment that is sent to you, because
a virus could be in there. If the message
is from a friend, but seems strange, delete
it. Some viruses will use the address book
of the infected computer and start sending
out random emails. Most of the time, they
will use some strange or generic business
message like “Here are the files that
you requested for the project”. This
would be a strange e-mail to people who
do not work in an office.
Anti-virus software won’t catch every
virus, but it will catch most of them. Virus
makers are writing new viruses everyday
and the software companies react to what
new viruses are out there. It is still better
to be somewhat protected, than not protected
at all.
DON’T FORGET to update your
virus protection software. This should be
done as often as once a week. Most computers
now come with anti-virus software and most
companies offer free upgrades. Check the
“Help” on your anti-virus software
to find out how to upgrade it. Users whose
computers have Windows XP receive auto-notices
when an update is available.
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