Computer Viruses:
How-To Protect Against Computer Viruses

The Best Defense: How-To Protect Against Computer Viruses

Preventing a viral infection of your computer is much easier than eliminating one you have already contracted. With so many offenders floating 

about, it may seem impossible to avoid them. But  there are a number of simple precautions you can take:

1. Avoid Unknown Attachments. Nowadays, most viruses are spread via e-mail attachments which, thankfully, can only become active when the attachment is opened or unzipped. While you cannot contract a virus just by receiving e-mail, it is a good idea to delete messages containing attachments if you do not know the sender, or if the subject line includes a tempting phrase like “Here is the file I promised you.”  

2. Avoid Bootleg or Pirated Software. With popular software packages running upwards of $200, it can be hard to resist the lure of the bootleg versions freely available on Internet file sharing utilities such as FreeNet and Gnutella. 

Virus writers take advantage of the insatiable market for bootlegs to disseminate their creations across the Internet and around the world.

3. Treat Floppy Disks and CDs With Suspicion. Prior to the mid-1990s, most computer viruses were spread via infected floppy disks. While floppy disks aren't inherently evil, as they pass  through many hands and many computers, they have  an increasingly greater chance of becoming infected by a virus - one that will then infest your system. New technologies such as CD burners (recorders) also open new doors for viruses to slip through.Homemade CD-RW disks (CDs which can be re-written using a burner) with unknown pedigrees can also be a source of infection.

4. Back It Up.  Along with hardware failure, theft and acts of God or Nature, the possibility of viral infection is just one more reason to back up your data regularly.  For Windows users, once you have chosen a backup medium (floppy disk, zip disk, CD-RW, tape drive), you can set up the Task Scheduler in Windows 95/98 to perform automatic backups on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. Still, you should always keep the last and the next-to-the-last backups in case you need to restore files that have been corrupted. 

5. Purchase Antivirus Software. Most antivirus software packages offer an automatic background protection mode, which will detect and clean out infections as they appear. If you don’t have this option, be sure to use the software to scan any and all Internet downloads, e-mail attachments and foreign disks before you open or run them. (More information on antiviral software is coming up in the next sections.) 

6. Check System Requirements. The last thing you need is to trek out, buy the software, trek back, try to install it and get a nasty error message saying "Unable to install program. You need Windows version XYZ." For example, the Windows 98 version of Symantec's Norton AntiVirus may not work on an NT 2000 system. Make sure you check the minimum system requirements and platform on the package before you buy to make sure you get the right version. 

7. Scan All Drives. Once you've purchased and installed the software, schedule regular scans. Most virus scan programs are set to automatically scan the C: Drive first. It's easy to think you're home free when no viruses are found. Make sure you set the program to check all drives, including e-mail programs, as many viruses are delivered through e-mail attachments and Internet files, and spread through shared documents. 

9. Update Often. For optimum protection, antivirus software must be updated on a monthly basis so that it can recognize and eradicate new bugs as they make the rounds. The updates can usually be found on the software company’s Web site, but if you need reminding, many packages will allow you to schedule automatic updates. Still, you should never assume that your antiviral software offers complete protection from infection, and you should continue to take basic safe computing precautions. 

There is little difference between most major antiviral software. Below is a list of the most popular brands. 

As we mentioned, most antivirus software packages are very similar. But make sure you look for the following factors when choosing any of the products out there (in order of importance). 

Platform (operating system) Relevance. Most software packages are platform specific, meaning that software for a Windows 95 / 98 machine will not run on a computer using MacOS or Linux as it’s operating system.

ICSA Certification. The International Computer Security Association has established a certification process that provides a consistent and accurate means for comparing antivirus detection rates. Only purchase software bearing the ICSA certification seal. 

Real-Time Background Protection. The software should not rely on your attention to do its job; rather, the software should detect viruses as soon as they appear in your system and alert you to this fact. 

Automatic or Scheduled Updates of Virus Definitions. This ensures that the software will detect and eliminate newly released viruses. 

Tech Support. Nearly all software companies offer online or telephone-based tech support. The number should be toll free, and offer useful tech support at no extra charge. 

Disaster Recovery. Many antivirus software packages will include a disaster recovery utility which allows you to recover lost or corrupted data and get your system “back to health” after a catastrophic virus attack.

 Despite all of the very real viruses out there, there are about as many hoaxes. Most are just e-mail messages designed to scare people, damage a particular organization's reputation or just plain waste time. Datafellows reports that the most important thing to remember is not to forward virus warnings, as they are usually hoaxes. Most come in the form of chain letters, contain a plea not to open messages with certain headlines and look something like this: