Are You Prepared for a Computer Virus?

Are there things of value on your computer, digital photographs, financial records, documents for school or work? Would you like to sit down in front of your computer one night and find that all these files were lost? Have you taken the steps necessary to protect your computer and these valuable files? In this article I'll show you some simple rules that you can follow to help prevent disaster.

A firewall is your front-line defense against viruses. If you have a router you are already behind a firewall. The router prevents outside traffic from attacking your computer. If your computer is not behind a router then you should install a software firewall. Windows XP service pack 2 and above come with a software firewall. Make sure this firewall is turned on. This is probably sufficient protection if you follow the rest of the rules in this article. There are commercial antivirus suites that include firewalls but I'm not a big fan of these. They tend to be system hogs that can slow your system down substantially.

You should purchase and install one good antivirus and multiple anti-spyware packages. There is continuing debate over which antivirus package performs best but for the casual computer user just make sure you install one and keep it up-to-date. Set your antivirus software for real-time protection, and for scheduled scans. It is imperative that you keep the virus definition database updated. Viruses are created and mutated constantly and because of this you have to keep your antivirus software religiously updated. It's probably a good ideal to let your antivirus package update itself daily.

The Windows operating system should be set for automatic updates. Often these updates contain fixes for potential threats to your system.

E-mail is the number one entry path for computer viruses these days. Set your antivirus software to scan your e-mail as it downloads. Opening files contained within e-mails is a very dangerous proposition. Even if you know the source of the e-mail the potential threat is still there. It is a good rule to never open e-mail attachments. If you absolutely have to have a file e-mailed to you, discuss the attachment with the sender to confirm its legitimacy. Another important thing to remember is never click on a link in an e-mail unless you are sure where that link leads.

File sharing on the World Wide Web, such as illegal music downloading and sharing pirated software is asking for trouble. Besides the fact that most of this activity is illegal, you will probably infect your computer with these files. The best advice is to stay away from the dark alleys of the World Wide Web.

It is important that you use a current web browser. Internet Explorer 7 and Mozilla Firefox are two of the popular browsers today. Make sure you keep these browsers updated with the latest patches.

Backup, backup, backup. Unfortunately no amount of protection can make you perfectly safe from data loss. A good backup of all your data is a must. If your computer contains mission-critical data that you just can't afford to lose, you should consider having multiple backups. Store one of these backups off-site preferably in a safe deposit box.

Follow these simple rules and you can feel comfortable that your data is safe.
1. Install a hardware or software firewall.
2. Install good antivirus and anti-spyware packages. Keep the software regularly updated.
3. Make sure your Windows operating system is set for automatic updates.
4. Never open an e-mail attachment or click on a link contained in an e-mail.
5. Stay away from the dark side of the World Wide Web. File sharing bad.
6. Use a current web browser and keep it updated with the latest patches.

Viruses cost individuals and corporations millions of dollars each year. You can make yourself safer from loss if you just follow the basic rules presented in this article. Don't be one of the people that thought it would never happen to them. Be diligent and be prepared.