Help for computer, imaging and technology users
Protect Your PC
Useful info and tips for all PC users
Your
computer may be under attack every time you use it!
So how can you protect your PC from attacks?
Attacks can come from hackers, viruses, trojans, spyware, diallers, malicious code and other evil software designed to attack your PC and attack you, the end user!
It is now a fact of life that if you own a computer, and you connect that computer to the Internet or load software from discs from unknown sources, that you are putting your computer at risk from attack.
Let's deal with each of these and what you can do to protect yourself.
A computer virus is much like a disease, once infected the PC will not work properly and may even do unexpected things such as reboot or send out strange emails to everyone you know. It can be caught from an infected email that you recieve and open on your PC, from a website that is designed to infect your PC or from a disc that you insert into your PC, especially if it is not from a trusted professional source. Most software you buy in a shop will be virus free, but if your friend gives you a CD with some software or other files on, it may contain a virus.
So how can you tell if you have a virus? There are more than 100,000 viruses circulating today, and each has its own unique way of upsetting or corrupting your PC, but some indications of having a virus may include a slowing down of the operation of the computer, the computer randomly reboots itself, programs act strangely or won't run at all, you find that your email program has sent out hundreds of emails without your knowledge, or you find that files you previously could open are now corrupted and won't open.
All computers today need a good Anti-Virus Program. This is a program that should be installed as soon as you are ready to use your PC in the big bad world, and certainly before you start using the Internet. Although at first you may have to connect to the Internet to download or purchase anti-virus software before you can install it.
Some popular programs include: Norton, Panda, Kaspersky, AVG, McAfee, Trend Micro AV. Click the name for links to their websites. AVG is made by Grisoft, who actually provide a free to use version of their anti-virus software which is actually very good and quite popular. There are also multiple versions available for some AV programs, depending on whether you are a home user, small business or big company. Also note that as products get updated, some of these links may be out of date. Trend Micro also offer an online anti virus solution which is free to use, to scan your PC for viruses without purchasing anything, which can be used in an emergency if you suspect you have a virus. Note that you have to have a full program installed on your PC to provide complete protection. You should keep any AV software you have installed up to date on a regular basis, downloading new virus definitions daily or at least weekly. Regular scanning is also recommended. Some of the software also offers other security options, including firewalls and anti spam software.
Some ISPs and email providers can provide an anti-virus solution whereby all email sent to you is first scanned for viruses to ensure you don't receive emails with viruses. It is worth using these services to avoid possible infections, as the majority of infections for Internet users come via email. Sometimes the emails are quite innocent looking, and any email you receive unexpectedly with an attachment should be viewed with caution, as the attachment might contain a virus. Some email software is more prone to viruses than others, including Microsoft's Outlook and Outlook Express programs, whereas Mozilla Thunderbird is far more robust in not being subject to a virus infected email causing harm to your PC.
Next we shall consider the threats caused by hackers. Click here to continue.
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