| Today I want to talk a little about the dreaded | | | | enter your home. Some of the software-based |
| computer virus. The goal of this article is to teach you, | | | | firewalls include Norton Internet Security, Zone Alarm |
| the home user, the fundamental skills needed to help | | | | and Trend Micro. You may be using a hardware |
| detect, remove, and most importantly prevent viruses | | | | firewall and not even know it. If you have a LAN |
| from infecting your computer. As the owner of a | | | | (Local area network) then chances are you have a |
| computer consulting business, I have seen 1st hand | | | | router of some kind. Most routers come built in with a |
| how much damage computer viruses can do. To help | | | | firewall, which is very effective at protecting your |
| protect yourself from a virus attack, it will be | | | | computer from viruses. Another technique used to help |
| necessary to understand exactly what a virus is. A | | | | prevent viruses is to keep your computer up to date. If |
| virus is essentially a software program designed with | | | | you are using a windows based PC, check Windows |
| malicious intentions, to copy itself and spread from one | | | | Update often for any security patches that are |
| computer to another. What makes a virus so | | | | released. |
| dangerous is what they are designed to do. | | | | Do not open email attachments if you do not know the |
| A virus, once installed on your computer, can easily | | | | sender, this is asking for trouble. Lets move on to |
| corrupt or delete data from your computer. This can | | | | identifying infected computers. As a PC technician, it is |
| be anything from your latest Word document to the | | | | my responsibility to quickly identify the signs of virus |
| irreplaceable pictures of your loved ones. We will get | | | | infections. Computers with virus infections will often |
| into exactly what a virus can do later in this article. | | | | show some of the following symptoms. Please note, |
| Now that you have an idea of what a virus is and | | | | that the issues listed below may be caused by several |
| what it can do to your computer, lets discuss how | | | | problems, such as spyware, and are not specific to |
| your computer gets infected. I have heard countless | | | | viruses. Your computer may be slow to start or shut |
| times from people, " But I did not open any email | | | | down. You may be missing data on your hard drive or, |
| attachments, how can I be infected?" While it is true | | | | in worst case scenarios, lose all data on the drive. You |
| that a majority of viruses are hidden within email | | | | may experience strange error messages or you |
| attachments, they can also be downloaded into our | | | | computer will shut down unexpectedly. Your fonts |
| computers in the form of images, videos, or even | | | | may be distorted and overlap or you may experience |
| instant messages. I have personally removed a virus | | | | difficulties in printing. |
| from Cd's, jump drives, and floppy disks. | | | | These are just some examples of the harm viruses |
| Lets talk about ways to help protect your computer | | | | can do. Now the most difficult part, removal. This is a |
| from viruses. To protect your computer from these | | | | topic worthy of its own article as there are many |
| threats it is vital that you have an anti virus program | | | | different procedures in virus removal. I will discuss with |
| installed and up to date. I have seen many times in the | | | | you the very basics. If you think you are the victim of |
| field computers that have anti virus programs but still | | | | a virus do a thorough scan of your computer. It may |
| are infected with a virus. Let me point out that not all | | | | also be beneficial if you scan your hard drive while in |
| anti virus programs are equal. I will not discuss in this | | | | safe mode. This is usually accomplished by tapping F8 |
| article which anti virus program you should or should | | | | at start up, but refer to your computer's manual for |
| not use however email me and I will be happy to help | | | | instructions to be certain. |
| you in that aspect. Your anti virus program will do you | | | | If you do not have an anti virus program, first thing to |
| little good if you do not keep your definitions up to date. | | | | do is get one! In the meantime you may use the |
| New virus are being identified all the time so it is vital to | | | | services of an online virus removal tool. Many of the |
| keep your anti virus program up to date on the latest | | | | popular anti virus programs offer this service. My intent |
| threats. Another proven method is to use a firewall. | | | | of this article was to help inform you of the dangers |
| A firewall is essentially software or hardware that is | | | | virus threats can pose, as well as giving you the |
| designed to filter out information that is being sent to or | | | | knowledge to help detect, remove and prevent these |
| from your computer. Think of a firewall as a Guard at | | | | threats. I hope I have accomplished this, and you can |
| the end of your driveway, before anyone enters your | | | | walk away after reading this article, feeling more |
| home they must first pass a set of rules or security | | | | confident of your abilities to protect your computer |
| checks you have given before they are allowed to | | | | from virus threats. |