Computer Viruses: Fact or Fiction? How Do You Protect Yourself From Computer Viruses? Jim Fox
The most important thing you should do to protect your system and your data is to install a reputable anti-virus program on your computer. There are many companies that currently provide this type of software and many of them offer free downloadable trial versions from their web sites. All anti-virus software has different options or settings that you can select. Be sure you use some sort of auto-protect mode so that the anti-virus software automatically loads each time your computer boots up. Many programs now also offer the ability to automatically scan any file you download from the Internet or any file that you may receive as an attachment to your email.
In order for your anti-virus software to remain effective you must also update it regularly. There are new viruses being introduced every day. All anti-virus software companies offer regular updates to combat these new viruses. Some offer these updates free once you purchase their software, some charge a fee for their updates. This is something to consider as you shop around for your anti-virus software. No anti-virus software is 100% effective. Therefore, any anti-virus protection strategy should also include regular back-ups of your data. This won't prevent any viruses but it will reduce your computer's down time if you ever catch one.
