| Computers today are an integral part of day to day campus life. But every day new computer viruses are created to annoy us and to wreck havoc on our computer systems. New viruses are created daily. The best thing you can do is to remain vigilant, keep your anti-virus software updated, and stay aware of the current computer virus threats.
A computer user should remain diligent and follow a few simple steps to protect against the threat of a virus:
1. Install antivirus software with high quality.
Because new viruses erupt daily, it is important that you regularly update your antivirus software. Become familiar with the software's real-time scan feature and configure it to start automatically each time you boot your computer. This will protect your system by automatically checking your computer each time it is powered up.
Before you pick the best product for your needs,you should start by asking yourself a series of questions. Do you need password protection for individual files, your desktop, a network, or to block someone's access to the Internet? Is your computer used only by you or do multiple users have access to the computer? How many users in total do you expect on your computer? What are your system requirements? How much do you want to spend?
Once you are able to answer these questions, you can begin to research which security suite will best meet your needs. Product reviews and user statements provide a great starting point. PCMagaine (www.pcmag.com), Zdnet.com (www.zdnet.com), and Consumer Reports (www.consumerreports.org) are just a few informative sites that offer research on various computer software products.
2. Evaluate your current computer security system.
With the threat of a new generation of viruses able to attack in a multitude of ways, the approach of having just one antivirus software version has become outdated. You need to be confident that you have protected all aspects of your computer system from the desktop to the network, and from the gateway to the server. Consider a more comprehensive security system which includes several features including antivirus, firewall, content filtering, and intrusion detection. This type of system will make it more difficult for the virus to penetrate your system.
3. Make it a habit to always scan all new programs or files no matter from where they originate.
4. Perform regular backups in case your system is corrupted. It may be the only way to recover your data if infected.
There are numerous security suites available on the market. Take the time to choose the one that meets your specific needs. As a starting point, we've listed a couple of the more popular programs:
- Kaspersky Personal Security Suite
A comprehensive protection program package is designed to guard against worms, viruses, spyware, adware and other malicious programs. The program offers five pre-defined security levels and is convenient for mobile users. System requirements: Window 98/2000/XP; Internet Explore 5.0 or higher, Memory: minimum of 64 MB RAM, 100 MB free on hard drive.
- AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition
It is a free downloadable antivirus program that has received high marks for its reliability. In the past, free downloadable antivirus programs have been viewed skeptically because of issues relating to its reliability. However, AVG from Grisoft, remains one of the best-known free anti-virus programs available. While AVG can not be installed on a server operating system and there is no technical support, it still makes a good choice for many home computer users. The best part is that since it is free, you can try it with no further obligation necessary. |
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