Virus Information Centre - Tips

Essential Tips for Virus Protection

1. Purchase a Good, Commercial Antivirus Program Like Norton Antivirus or Mcafee Virusscan.
   Most commercial antivirus programs usually are reasonably inexpensive and can be purchased at almost any computer store in the world.
2. Update your Virus Definitions frequently (at least once a week).
   With over 250 new viruses being discovered each week, if you don't update your definitions frequently you won't be protected from ANY of the new viruses floating around the Net. How do you update your virus definitions? That depends on the antivirus program you use, consult your software's documentation.
3. Never, ever, double-click (or launch) *ANY* new file, especially an Email Attachment, regardless of who the File is from, until you first Scan That File with your Antivirus Program.
   This is probably the most important rule of them all. There are currently hundreds of thousands of viruses out there, and any one of those viruses could be hiding in an email attachment. Beware of EVERY new file that is attached to an email message, even if it comes from someone you know.
4. Turn on Macro Virus Protection in Microsoft Word, and Beware of all Word Macros, especially if you don't know what Macros are.
   Word Macros are saved sequences of commands or keyboard strokes that can be stored and then recalled with a single command or keyboard stroke. They enable advanced Word users to easily accomplish what would otherwise be difficult tasks. They also allow virus writers to do serious damage to your computer. For example, the Melissa virus was actually a Word Macro virus. Set up your Virus software to scan for Macro Virus each time you launch WORD.
5. Run Windows Update at least Once a Month
   Windows is aptly named because it is full of holes. There are several, inadvertent 'open doors' (or 'security holes') in the Windows operating system that *COULD* conceivably make your computer vulnerable to a Virus attack. When the folks at Microsoft discover a security hole, they immediately release a software patch to close it. Running "Windows Update" will check for the availability of these patches as they come along, and offer to install the fix.

These five tips will not protect you from every computer Virus, Trojan horse, or Worm, but they will so significantly decrease your computer's chances of becoming infected that you can all but forget about the next virus scare and all the ones that will follow.