Eight Unbeatable Tips for Protecting Your Computer From Viruses

You can limit the impacts of viruses by following these basic guidelines.

1. Get your shots. The only way to inoculate your computer is to install and use an antivirus software program. The most popular are Norton Anti-Virus (Symantec) and VirusScan (McAfee/Network Associates). All do essentially the same thing: they scan disks or data for known viruses and then eradicate any they find. This software is easy to set up and use. Configure it to scan a disk automatically when you insert it in your machine and to scan your hard drive each time you start up the computer for extra safety.
2. Don't forget your boosters. Something like six new computer viruses are discovered every day. Merely installing antivirus software won't do the trick. It is necessary to update your software frequently-every couple of months at least-to scan for these newly detected viruses. The major virus protection software publishers make these updates available for free from their websites. Remember to scan your disk for these new viruses every time you update.
3. Never download from people you don't know. This should be second nature, much like looking both ways before crossing the street and not talking to strangers. People who write and spread viruses are sly-they try to disguise them in ways that catch you unaware so you'll slip an infected disk into your computer or download an e-mail attachment. Be very wary of offers like “free software!” that sound too good to be true. Be skeptical about e-mail that contains attachments you didn't request.
4. Scan every disk you put in your computer. Even shrink-wrapped software has the potential to contain a virus. Also, close the little plastic window in the top right corner of any disk before scanning it. This will “write-protect” the disk, meaning that your computer can read the disk but cannot write to it, thus keeping a virus from spreading.
5. Back up your data. Should a virus strike your computer, you will want to have a complete backup of your data and software to help you reconstitute your files. Copy all your files from your hard drive to a USB flash drive, or other high-capacity removable drive. (Don't even consider floppies anymore for this purpose; they don't hold enough data.) Make these backups frequently-weekly if you use your computer daily. Another word of warning: if you've contracted a computer virus, be sure to scan and disinfect any recent backup files too. Otherwise, you risk reinfection.
6. Don't panic. If you do get a virus, don't worry. First, run a clean copy of your virus protection software to identify and remove the virus. In most cases, following the software's instructions will get you back up and running with no difficulties. If, however, you do experience problems, avoid drastic measures like reformatting your hard drive. Instead, contact your local computer professional for help. Most data can be recovered from even the most infected machine.
7. Watch out for virus hoaxes. While there are thousands of genuine viruses, there are also some that only exist in people's imaginations. You may receive an e-mail informing you of a new virus and asking you to forward the message to everyone you know. Experts recommend that you ignore these messages, which are almost always hoaxes, and do not pass them on.
8. Ask the experts. Virus-tracking websites like Symantec's Anti-Virus Research Center post information on viruses, including what's real and what's not. Look at one of these sites before you panic. See the “Resources” section for a list of URLs.