Prevention of Computer Viruses Threats (www.computers.FireInWebspace.info)

We've all had it happen, that moment of panic when you wonder if your computer has a virus. In that situation, we can make the wrong decisions by deleting or installing files. If your system is set up properly and you back up files on a regular basis, there is no reason to panic.

Most of us have received an email "from a friend" warning us of impending doom. Sometimes the warning is real and sometimes it's not. Usually the email begins "I found this on my computer and I think I may have accidentally sent it to you. Better check your computer. I'm really sorry." The email finishes up with urging you to send this message to EVERYONE in your address book.

Hoaxes can actually make you the virus by getting you to delete needed programs or files causing the system to bog down or crash. These hoaxes usually arrive in the form of an e-mail and contain false virus warnings. When in doubt, check a list of known virus hoaxes. The best thing to do is to delete the email.

Some virus programs appear to have been sent by a friend or a company you have emailed before. Most come from unknown sources. Once opened they work by pulling names out of a computer's address book and using them to further spread the virus.

You can set your email to accept plain text only. Block or remove emails that contain file attachments. Some viruses are even programmed to instruct your pc to show you only the plain text but can still infect your computer with hidden malicious code.

How to Prevent Computer Virus Threats:

Install Virus Protection Programs.

Help prevent computer viruses by updating windows regularly and installing virus protection programs. Virus updates should be done at least once a week. Scheduled the task time to run automatically so that it won't interfere with your work. Set up your computer to automatically download updates, but install the updates manually.

If your system starts running very slowly for no reason, go online and get the system checked. A good scan of your entire operating system, memory, hard drive and boot sector is needed. Trend Micro has a free online virus scanner.

Anti-virus programs hunt for viruses and cleans attachments if possible. When a file can't be cleaned, the anti-virus program will isolate the file. The anti-virus program uses the definition list you download from the program's website, or it matches up a general pattern of what a virus looks like.

The schedule with which the anti-virus definitions are updated can vary, and you may get caught in that window of vulnerability between the virus appearing and it getting updated to the list. Warning: The viruses will get in if you don't keep your anti-virus program updated.

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