Avoiding A Computer Virus – Simple Steps

by Security Geek

As you probably know by now, your computer is a lot like you. It too is vulnerable to viruses, and as they can with your body it can affect them in different ways. It may be sluggish, it may get quite ill, and there are even worse things that can happen. In fact, when infected with a virus both you and your computer can spread them on – and either of you may be infected and not even know it!

Every fall, or any time there is an outbreak of this or that virus that affects people, the television news, the magazines, everywhere you turn you'll find advice on how to stay healthy. There are some common sense steps you can take to avoid catching a virus. Your computer, on the other hand, depends on you to protect it. Here again there are some simple things you can do.

Email is the most common way your computer becomes infected with a virus. You have to watch your email carefully. You probably already delete the ones that promise to enlarge or reduce particular body parts, or inform you of your $6 bajillion dollar inheritance. What you may not be so careful about are the ones that use the name of your bank or a company you do business with online, or an email from a relative or friend. It may not be from them at all, or it may be that their system has become infected.

I've found viruses in all kinds of things – an “invitation” to join a social networking website, or an “update” for some computer software I own. The invitation to the social network didn't really link to their site, but a spoof of it, and it came from an infected computer owned by a family member. The software attack, on the other hand, came attached to an email sent to a list that someone had stolen.

The attachments are usually where the virus is hiding, so be very wary of any zip or executable files that come in your email. If the email doesn't read like it was written by the person who supposedly sent it, don't open it. In fact, if you're the least bit suspicious (and you should be), the best thing to do is contact whoever sent it to you to find out if it's real!

You also have to watch where you surf. Certain kinds of sites on the net are more infested than others, particularly any site that says you can get something that should cost you for nothing. Free porn, free movies, free music downloads – may not be what they seem to be. Reputable search engines won't list sites that do that, but they can't check every link every minute.

You also have to be careful about websites that offer to protect you from spyware. The “free” security scans that sites run by computer-related companies are usually legitimate, but there are others that are anything but. If you think you have a virus, the website of your computer manufacturer may have a scan. Otherwise, go to the sites run by the “named” players in the industry – Computer Associates , ZoneAlarm, AVG, and Kaspersky, just to name a few.

Of course, in this day and age it's unwise to hook your computer up to the Internet without some kind of security system that includes a firewall, antivirus, and antispyware protection. There are plenty of good ones, and plenty that are not-so-good, and they range from free to quite expensive. No matter what any manufacturer will tell you there is no “one size fits all” solution, and what works for your brother or your bff may not work for you!

Protecting your computer from viruses and the other mean nasty things that lurk out there takes some work and research, but it is truly time and effort well spent. There are lots of sites that provide legitimate information on problems and solutions. Choose carefully, and your chances of having a major problem are lessened considerably!

Security Geek is an Internet entrepreneur with various websites, Anti-Spyware-Guide.com among them.