by Art B.

Created on: October 10, 2008   Last Updated: October 23, 2009

All computers connected to the internet are vulnerable to viruses. However, this is not a good reason to keep your computer disconnected. The benefits of internet use today greatly outweigh the risks of infection by a computer virus. A few simple steps can help you ensure that your own machine remains uninfected.

First, do not download any software that you have not properly vetted. This means reading professional reviews, especially by the editors of well-known software web sites and technology blogs. However, it also means looking for a commenting feature on the software provider's website. This is a subtle but extremely telling characteristic. A company with clean, quality software will want people congregating on its commenting page or forum and telling all the would-be users of its products how useful and free from viruses those products are. On the other hand, be wary of software providers who offer no commenting feature or discussion forum. These sites will usually provide only testimonials, often in the form of quotes. Don't be surprised when you don't recognize the name or the supposed publication cited as the source of the quote. Many of these are simply fictional. This is a common tactic used to trick people into downloading virus-laden software.

Second, maintain an up-to-date antivirus program on your computer. It is wise to choose something free or affordable and very lightweight. Lightweight' antivirus will not burden your computer by using a great deal of you resources, thereby preventing you from using your computer for other things. AVG Antivirus and ClamWin are examples of trustworthy and affordable antivirus software. These are particularly useful because they will allow you to right-click individual files and scan them at will, in addition to scanning your entire system on demand.

Third, do not open email attachments that you do not immediately recognize. Even friends may sometimes forward email containing a virus, simply because they did not know when they forwarded the email that it contained the virus, because the infection was not yet apparent on their own system. Stick to attachments you are expecting, like that presentation for your client, or your grandson's birthday photos. This simple tip can go a long way toward protecting your system from malicious software.

In short, when it comes to software found on the internet, it is always best to give in to the human tendency to fear what you do not know.

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