WHAT IS A VIRUS?A computer virus is a computer program that can copy itself and infect a computer without permission or knowledge of the user. Computer Viruses have been a problem for many years. When people speak of computer viruses they often mistake Spyware for being a virus, when in fact most computer viruses are hidden and not out in the open like a spyware infection.
A Virus can be introduced to a computer through many different ways. They can be attached to an email, hidden in a CD-ROM or USB drive, installed unknowingly when installing supposedly legitimate software, through a network from another infected
computer, and through unsafe surfing with an un-patched computer.
Among the things that a Computer Virus can do damage to, are a persons files system files, and boot files. Or a virus could do nothing at all other than replicate itself and spread to other computers.
WHAT CAN I DO?
Using and running a good Anti-Virus is the best step a person can take to combat viruses. When people think of Anti-Virus programs for some reason they often think of Norton Anti-Virus, unfortunately Norton is not the best Anti-Virus out there and we recommend avoiding it.
WHAT ANTIVIRUS SHOULD I GET?
For an antivirus we suggest AVG Professional or Kaspersky Anti-Virus. These are better Anti-Virus software packages which will not slow your computer down like an Internet Security Suite. Internet Security Suites like Norton Internet Security, AVG Internet Security and McAfee Internet Security are more likely to cause problems on a home an business network., and are likely to become detrimental to the speed of your computer.
A good free Anti-Virus is AVG Free. Something to remember is that a popular antivirus
is not always best when trying to clean your computer. A fully patched computer is
also important. On a regular basis Microsoft releases critical patches to their operating systems to help keep them secure.
THINK PREVENTION!
An Antivirus program is only a curative measure, they do not stop the computer from
becoming infected in the first place, they only serve to remove known infections. With this in mind it is essential that you have your security setup so you don't get infected to begin with. Preventing a virus infection is better then dealing with the cleanup afterward.
A KEY PROGRAM that will help is FIREFOX.
Firefox is an internet web browser. And since web browsers are the means by which you view any web related content, it makes sense that you should be using one which has better security and preventative measures in place than the most common alternative Internet Explorer. Firefox will actively stop most pop-ups and auto downloads while using the internet. Download it at http://www.firefox.com
http://free.avg.com
BE WISE!
It is important that you have the right tools for the job, that you do not become complacent in your everyday browsing habits. Key things to look out for and avoid
are:
Pop-ups or buttons prompting you to buy or download a product.
Buttons and adverts including the word “FREE”
Sites that offer testimonials to sell their products, if its good, then its good enough for word of mouth.
Check the URL, often the address of the site will not match the content.
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