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Your PC
- Personal Security & Safeguards
Use Antivirus Software
How big is the virus problem
anyway?
There are at least 60,000 known
viruses and more are written every day. About 95-98% of
viruses come through e-mail and instant messaging file
transfers. Often viruses arrive with e-mail disguised as
something entertaining, like pictures, music, or greeting
cards. |
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Virus writers are working around the clock to attack you; the
anti-virus vendors and Microsoft are working around the clock to help
protect you.
Help protect your computer files and e-mail by using and updating
your anti-virus software. To help reduce the risk of a virus
exploiting a vulnerability in your Microsoft software, make sure you
have the latest patches and updates for your Microsoft Office
applications and Microsoft® Windows® operating system.
How Can You Get a Virus?
Besides picking up a virus from an e-mail attachment, you can
acquire a virus or worm from free content you download from a Web site
or on a diskette someone shares with you. If your computer is not
protected, once you download and install the program, the virus can
spread.
Viruses can spread around the world in less than 24 hours. But even
after a virus is no longer in the news, it may still be active and can
continue to harm computers that are not protected.
What's Your Risk?
Viruses can carry a damaging payload, such as a worm or Trojan
horse program. When a virus infects your e-mail or other files, it
can:
- Make copies of itself—possibly filling up your disk drive.
- Send itself to everyone else on your e-mail list.
- Reformat your disk drive and/or delete your files and programs.
- Install hidden programs, such as pirated software, that can be
distributed and sold using your machine.
Checklist to Help Protect against Viruses
Which steps do you need to take to help protect your data and
computer from viruses?
Install Outlook E-mail
Security Updates!
Microsoft Outlook® Security Updates can help protect you against many viruses
that are spread via e-mail attachments (such as the Blaster, Goner, ILOVEYOU,
Melissa, and countless other viruses and worms) that can replicate by using the
Outlook Address Book. Microsoft strongly encourages all users of
Outlook to install the appropriate update for
their version of Outlook.
Install Antivirus
Software!
- When you buy a new computer, make certain it has antivirus
software pre-installed. If not, buy the software, install it, and
activate it before you use your new computer for any purpose.
- Purchase antivirus software. Antivirus software is available
from most retailers, and directly from the publishers, including:
- Register new antivirus software. When you register your new
software, choose to be kept notified of product updates.
Get The Best
Protection Options!
Take advantage of options for automatic updates and scheduling
routine examination of your computer for the presence of infection.
- Scan incoming e-mail and attachments. Practice good perimeter
protection—scan files before you open them.
- Sign up for automatic updates. Let
the program help protect you by automatically updating the virus
signature files.
- Schedule weekly harddisk drive scans. Schedule your antivirus
program to check your system while you sleep. It will have a report
waiting for you in the morning.
- Make sure it's working. Check the antivirus icon on your
Windows Taskbar regularly to make sure your software is active.
- Upgrade when you upgrade other programs
(at least once a year). When you upgrade your
computer's operating system or other software programs, get the
latest version of your antivirus software, too.
When you learn that a new virus is spreading, visit your antivirus
vendor's website to learn about its behavior and what software products
it affects.
How to know if your
computer has a virus?
Stay alert for these symptoms:
- Computer slows down. This could indicate unauthorized activity
going on in the background.
- Very large amount of modem activity. If you have an external
modem, you may notice the lights blinking excitedly when you are not
actively using the computer, such as downloading a file. You could
also be supplying pirated software to others and not know it.
- Unusual behavior of your computer. Notice if applications are
not operating correctly or if content in files appears scrambled.
What should you do
if you get a virus?
Know Your Enemy
First visit your antivirus
software vendor's virus information center to understand what
your virus might have done!
Visit McAfee's Virus info Center
Some antivirus software need help
to remove viruses. That is they need more specialized
virus removal tools. These are usually free!
Try these from McAfee |
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Taking aspirin won't help your computer! But you should act quickly
to:
- Get the latest "virus signature file"
(or update) from your antivirus vendor's Web site. For each new
virus, antivirus vendors issue updates as inoculants against new
viruses. Many times, these updates will be available within hours of
an outbreak, but unfortunately, you might be one of the first!
- Run your virus protection scan. It will find infected files
automatically. It will advise whether it is able to remove viruses
from every file or whether you should delete infected files (You Do
Make Regular Backups Don't You? At Least Once A Week?)
- Inform anyone you may have infected. After you eradicate the
virus from your system, inform those with whom you have shared files
that they may be at risk from infection.
Simple Steps To Better
Security
By using common sense and taking action to help protect your
computer from unauthorized intrusions and attachments, you can enjoy
all that the Internet has to offer. Minimize your risks by following
these steps:
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