Using Anti-virus Software to Keep Your Computer Virus Free
Issue No. 11
Viruses come in many disguises, and it’s a full-time job keeping up with what the latest virus is, how it has mutated, how it attacks computers, and how it spreads. Tracking viruses is such a huge job that there are many companies making a living at it and doing a much better job than most of us have the time or knowledge to do.
Purchase anti-virus software.
For under $100, you can get software such as BitDefender ($30), PC-cillin ($40), McAfee VirusScan ($50), or Norton AntiVirus ($50) that will protect your computer from viruses. These anti-virus applications are continually updated as new viruses emerge and as existing viruses mutate. It is worth the cost of using an anti-virus package as any computer down time, lost data, lost business, and aggravation will add up to much more than $100. Go to Anti-Virus-Software-Review.com or ConsumerReports.com for reviews of these and additional anti-virus applications.
Keep your anti-virus software up to date.
The anti-virus applications can be set up to search for updates to virus definitions via your Internet connection. These definitions are used to protect your computer from viruses, however, you need to update the definitions, even daily. You can set up your anti-virus application to automatically update your virus definitions, to remind you to run and update the definitions, or to let you manually choose when to update the definitions. It is best to update your virus definitions daily, as the folks who create viruses don’t work only from 9-5, Monday through Friday, and as such, you can never know when a new virus will be released.
Keep your anti-virus software up and running.
Just like an alarm system that you use to protect your business assets must be turned on to work, your anti-virus software must be active to protect your computer. It doesn’t do you any good to have anti-virus software installed, but not running. Keep your anti-virus software up and running constantly.
Use your anti-virus software to scan your hard disk for viruses.
Your anti-virus application can scan your hard disk for viruses, which you should do weekly. The application can scan all or part of your computer as you indicate and let you know of any viruses it detects. The application also can help you remove viruses.
Set your anti-virus software to scan both incoming and outgoing e-mails.
One of the most prevalent methods of passing viruses is through e-mail. Not only can you catch a virus through incoming e-mail, but you also can inadvertently spread a virus with outgoing e-mail. Your anti-virus application can be set up to scan e-mail coming in to your computer and also e-mail that you send from your computer.
Use your anti-virus software to scan e-mail attachments.
One of the fastest ways to spread a virus is via an e-mail attachment. Do NOT open e-mail attachments unless you are expecting an attachment from the recipient. Once you open an attachment with a virus, your computer is infected. Even if the e-mail is from someone you know, it could have an attachment created by a virus that was sent to everyone in the sender’s mailbox; only open the attachment if is expected. Most business-related attachments are expected rather than unsolicited. In addition to being careful about which attachments you open, you can set your anti-virus application to scan the attachments for viruses as they come into your inbox.
Using anti-virus software is one way to increase the security of your computer and in turn your business.