Whether you are a system administrator in a large company or a casual user, viruses and worms can easily affect your computer system if you do not take proper precautions. The type of damage done to the computer can range from minor to severe with common issues related to slow performance, email spoofing, or complete PC destruction. More serious problems could cause your hard drive to be wiped. Here are six basic rules to help protect the PC:
strong security software
Install a top-rated security software suite on the PC and make sure it is up to date. Any software package tested will increase the ability to combat spyware, hacker, and Trojan attacks, and includes many different technologies such as antiphishing, antispam, firewall, antispyware, and antivirus. Also, use the most advanced software that runs constantly in the background and will continue to scan files, email attachments, websites, or other programs while in use.
internet service provider
Sign up with a trusted Internet Service Provider (ISP) that uses strong anti-phishing and anti-spam technologies to prevent many viruses from even reaching your PC.
Windows Automatic Updates
Let the Windows operating system update automatically to ensure the latest software is always installed on your PC. Windows often releases patches that help fix known vulnerabilities. If these are not downloaded as soon as they are published, there is an increased risk of spyware or Trojans infecting the computer.
email attachments
Avoid opening email attachments unless they are from someone you know and trust. Most security software programs can be configured to automatically scan attachments when they are received. Also, your preferred email program should not be configured to automatically display graphics or open attachments.
Peer-to-peer file sharing
Be very careful when using Peer-to-Peer (P2P) technology to share digital media because it is easy to hide Trojans in this type of program. Similar to email, you only open these files when they come from a trusted source. Certain file extensions should be avoided, including those ending in bat, bin, cmd, dll, lnk, scr, and vbs.
Back up regularly
Backing up the important files on the PC will surely prove beneficial in the unfortunate event of being attacked by a virus or worm. If your PC stops responding or files are lost after an attack, backing up will make it easy to recover lost personal information (bank statements or tax returns), movies, music, photos, etc.