TOP 10 TIPS TO KEEP YOUR COMPUTER VIRUS-FREE
All the time when we talk about viruses, comes to our
toughs the magical words WHICH and WHAT to buy to be protected. In my long years
as a tech support and back office IT, I always use 2 or 3 antiviruses and if
ones does not do the job, the another one does… this is based on my personal
experience and everybody has the right to choose on his own preferences. I
personally recommend Symantec, ESET NOD 32, McAffee and AVG. here are those
links:
- Symantec: http://us.norton.com/norton-security-with-backup
- ESET NOD 32: https://www.eset.com/us/products/nod32-antivirus/
- McAffee: https://www.mcafee.com/consumer/en-us/store/m0/index.html
- AVG: http://www.avg.com/ww-en/free-antivirus-protection
OTHER ASPECTS TO CONSIDER:
- Buy / renew the antivirus with at least 2 years of subscription (more cheap and secure)
- Try / evaluate other products and features (takes time & risks!)
- Think wise and always think on grow up capabilities (plans to do your own business, you as a consultant, BYOD philosophy)
- As always, SEARCH and look for more information about products, discounts, offers and promotions (PC Magazine, C-Net, the same AV providers, etc.)
- And last but not least, consider to buy a full package of licences, are more cheap and easy to manage than a single license. Example: if you have 2 or more computers in your house or your our personal business, you can protect the remaining equipment
10. Use common sense. It's always better to err on
the side of safety. If you're unsure about an attachment, delete it. Especially
if it's from a source you don't recognise. If there are tempting animations on
a site that look highly unprofessional, don't download them.
9. Scan floppies / USB before using them. This is
always important, but especially if you are using the disk to carry information
between one computer and another. You could easily pick up a virus from an
insecure network and introduce it into your system. Running a virus scan before
launching any of the programs on the disk will prevent infection.
8. Don't share floppies / USB. Even a well-meaning
friend may unknowingly pass along a virus, Trojan horse, or worm. Label your
floppies clearly so you know they're yours and don't loan them out. If a friend
passes you a foreign floppy, suggest an alternative method of file sharing.
7. Don't boot from a floppies / USB disk. Floppies
are one of the most common ways viruses are transmitted. If you are using a
floppy while working on your computer, remove it when you shut the machine off
or the computer will automatically try to boot from the floppy, perhaps
launching any viruses on the disk.
6. Don't download programs from the Web. Unreliable
sources such as Internet newsgroups or Web sites that you haven't heard of may
be willing providers of viruses for your computer. Avoid downloading files you
can't be sure are safe. This includes freeware, screensavers, games, and any
other executable program - any files with an ".exe" or
".com" extension, such as "coolgame.exe." Check to see if
the site has anti-virus software running on their side. If you do have to
download from the Internet, be sure to scan each program before running it.
Save all downloads to one folder, then run virus checks on everything in the
folder before using it.
5. Update your anti-virus software frequently. An
anti-virus program is only as good as the frequency with which it is updated.
New viruses, worms, and Trojan horses are born daily, and variations of them
can slip by software that is not current. Norton AntiVirus has a feature that
searches for new virus definitions every time you go online, so you are always
up to date.
4. Get immediate protection. Configure your
anti-virus software to boot automatically on start-up and run at all times.
This will provide you back-up protection in case you forget to scan an
attachment, or decide not to. And in case you forget to boot up your anti-virus
software, configuring it to start by itself will ensure you get immediate
protection anyway.
3. Scan all incoming email attachments. Be sure to
run each attachment you plan to open through the anti-virus check. Do this even
if you recognise and trust the sender; malicious code, like Trojan horses, can
slip into your system by appearing to be from a friendly source.
2. Don't automatically open attachments. Be sure your
email program doesn't automatically download attachments. This will ensure that
you can examine and scan attachments before they run. Refer to your email
program's safety options or preferences menu for instructions.
1. Install reliable anti-virus software. Anti-virus
software scans files regularly for unusual changes in file size, programs that
match the software's database of known viruses, suspicious email attachments,
and other warning signs. It's the most important step you can take towards
keeping your computer clean of viruses. Norton AntiVirus is the world's leading
anti-virus software. It runs continuously in the background of your computer,
providing constant protection from viruses, Trojan horses, worms, and other
malicious code. To stay up-to-date on the latest online threats, Norton
AntiVirus automatically updates its virus definitions whenever you're online.
And always remember... Practice Safe Surfing on the Web!
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