Monday, July 13, 2009

5 Ways to Protect Your PC from Computer Viruses

Computer Viruses appear in many different forms namely, viruses, spyware, botnets, worms, Trojan horses, malware that will keep attacking your PC if you do not take proper preventative measures. Here are some cautionary measures that you can try implementing:

  • It has been observed that if your PC has the operating system of a popular make, there are greater chances of it getting infected by one of the viruses mentioned above. The reason is very simple. More and more people buy operating systems from popular manufacturers and by infecting these operating systems the hackers can expect to make huge profits. This is not to convey that the operating systems from lesser-known manufacturers are spared by the hackers. However, the chances are very less. Hence you should choose an operating system that suits the above-discussed criterion for your PC.
  • If a manufacturer is offering a version of the operating system with a higher software security feature, you should upgrade the operating system of your PC with that version of the OS, even though it might prove to be expensive. Some of the new generation operating systems come with the best anti virus features available. Some of the Operating systems come with free anti virus software with which you can do a free anti virus scan. Some of the word-processing software also offer file saving formats that support viral immunity for the file.
  • You should not ignore any updates that your installed anti virus software notifies you about and install them without any delay. This is because in the time interval between the release of an update and its downloading and installation, the hackers develop a virus software that infects your computer. Hence it is imperative for you to be smarter than the hackers and download the antivirus software update before they can harm your computer.
  • Many people guard their PCs from computer viruses only but there are other computer viruses that need to be combated against. One of those is the spyware that leaks out vital information on your standalone PC to the entire Internet community. Spyware removal should be done by using the appropriate remedial applications. You should also take care to keep your computer updated with the current versions of the anti virus programs because otherwise even the most efficient of these remedial applications are rendered useless, however powerful they might be in their earlier versions. It is to be borne in mind that, unfortunately, the cyber community has some sadistic programmers who dedicatedly make malignant code to destroy the data on your PC.
If you are a heavy user of the Internet, you should take care of certain issues. You should not open mail messages from strangers, as the best antivirus programs on your PC may not be able to detect a virus that enters your PC like an uninvited guest. Another protective devise is keeping your computer turned off or at least disconnected from the Internet network, at least during the night; because this is the time the nocturnal software security destroyers make visits.

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