With simply a computer and an Internet connection you can access
an infinite number of Web servers, Web pages, individuals from
across the globe and other digital entities from around the
world but it also endangers your PC and the confidential data it
contains about you.
Every day of the week virus, spyware, and adware creators come
up with new, ingenious ways to gain access to your PC. These
simple pointers will help keep the hackers at bay:
Stop and think before you click: Downloaded files that end with
.exe, .com, .bat, and .scr, (also files with .doc and .xls
extensions), can render your computer completely useless with a
single click. Many e-mail programs block access to any
attachments so take the extra time and think for a few seconds
before you decide to open it or not.
Use an anti-spam filter: Most viruses and spyware are installed
by various methods of Internet browser hijacking however, e-mail
is still a very common source. Use of a junk-mail filter will
significantly reduce the likelihood of running harmful scripts
contained within messages.
Keep your antivirus software up to date: Using antivirus
software that has expired past it's subscription period is
definitely not an option: Not only do you lack the crucial virus
database updates, but you expose your system to malware that
targets known flaws in antivirus software.
Prevention against WORMS and Viruses: Install antivirus
software, update regularly, and use it regularly. Never open
unsolicited e-mail attachments with the file extensions VBS,
SHS, or PIF.Disconnect your network or modem cable when you are
not using your computer.
Antivirus software is software that is installed on your
computer that protects you from viruses. Antivirus software
programs contain in the region of 40,000 - 100,000 "malicious
software definitions" that are updated on a daily or as needed
basis.
I highly recommend Grisoft AVG Anti-Virus (Free) for antivirus
protection.
If in doubt try online: You should only install and use one
single antivirus program at a time on your computer because
multiple antivirus programs will conflict with one another and
cause your computer to completely grind to a halt. If you have
any doubt about your antivirus program's effectiveness, you can
use a free online virus scanner, such as Panda Software's
ActiveScan) or Trend Micros HouseCall.
Download with care: Any program you download and run on your
computer system could potentially result in spyware or virus
infection. Download software only from reputable online sources
that guarantee that all software is free from malicious
software.
Use a two-way firewall: Windows XP and Vista each come with a
firewall that blocks unwanted or unexpected incoming traffic; it
is enabled by default in Windows XP Service Pack 2 and later.
However for the best protection possible, you will also want to
block unwanted outgoing connections made by spyware, viruses and
scripts on your PC that attempts to either connect to a remote
server or send out spam.
Windows Vista's firewall does have that fucntionality, but
configuring it is not entirely simple enough for the average
Windows user. Instead, you can get one of several free
bidirectional firewall programs, such as Zone Labs ZoneAlarm
Free, or Agnitums Outpost Firewall Free.
Make use of antispyware program: Anyone who uses a computer can
succumb to spyware infection. In fact, 9 out of 10
Internet-connected PCs are infected with some kind of virus.
Spyware can be any application that tracks your online or
offline PC activity, serves you adverts, redirects your pages
and bombards you with pop-ups. If you use the Internet, its
possible that some form of virus threats are already active at
work on your PC system.
Spyware can ocassionally go unnoticed however, it is more likely
that you will notice that it is present on your computer system
due to the obvious symptoms that your computer may experience.
It is EXTREMELY difficult to get rid of but not entirely
impossible.
Even if you suspect you have successfully removed an unwanted
program manually, a remaining dormant file can trigger a
complete reinstallation the next time you restart your computer.
And as a survival tactic, spyware programs often leave similar
traces elsewhere on your system so you can often never eliminate
it completely after only one attempt.
Spyware, adware, and some scripts / trojans slow down your
system, cause crashes, and track your online activity.
Antispyware utilities work much like antivirus software,
detecting and removing the unwanted software from your PC.
One free tactic you can employ is to upgrade from Windows XP: As
Microsoft service Pack 2 makes Windows XP much safer, although
the operating system still has many security flaws which can be
exploited, and it remains prime target for spyware creators.
If you still have a
the software above and you think it may be due to spyware, you
can find more help and information on fixing your
About the author:
Steve Ross is a Microsoft certified computer technician and has
developed many solutions for beating Spyware, computer Viruses
and Adware. More information on his techniques can be found at
Slow Computer
Help.
Author: Steve Ross
Article:
Sunday 17 June 2007
Who Else Wants Complete Protection From Computer Viruses?
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