How To Protect Your Computer From Viruses

Removing a computer virus is usually quicker than recovering from the chills-and-fever rollercoaster, but preventing them altogether keeps your computer running smoothly. With internet security becoming increasingly complex, we laid out all the steps, tips, and details (including our top antivirus programs) below you need to protect your computer from viruses.

Update your antivirus

The biggest and most important part of preventing viruses from attacking your computer is to use antivirus protection. Antivirus programs can quickly scan, detect and remove viruses and other types of malware.

Here are our top picks for antivirus protection:

How to prevent computer viruses

The best way to prevent virus proliferation is to stop using email. However, most computer users would agree that such a remedy is a bit drastic. Fortunately, you don't need to break your daily email habits, if you take a few other, more reasonable preventative steps.

Security consultants stress the importance of keeping your antivirus software updated. The latest versions of Symantec's Norton AntiVirus and McAfee's Virus Scan both offer automatic updating. However good these are, remember they are retroactive and only act on known viruses. 

Not so long ago, the major virus prevention advice was to not open email attachments from strangers. Now, as viruses have gotten much smarter about how they spread, even emails from your best friend or colleague are suspect. Protect yourself by taking some of the following measures when you're working online:

• Buy, install and update reputable antivirus software.
• Never trust an executable file delivered by email or downloaded from the Internet.
• Do not open any files attached to an email if the subject line is questionable or unexpected.
• Always scan an executable file before running it, even if you received it from someone you know.
• Know the purpose of any attachment.
• Back up your files regularly. If a virus destroys your files you'll be able to replace them with a backup copy.
• When in doubt, always err on the side of caution and do not open, download, or execute any files or email attachments.
• At least once a month, visit the website for any software you use to download security patches.
• Trojan horses usually are hidden in executable files with extensions such as .BAT, .EXE, .PIF, .COM, and .VBS. Be careful downloading any of these.

Other types of malware

Unlike viruses, which spread from file to file, worms spread from computer to computer through the Internet, often by sending themselves to everyone in your address book. 

Passive worms need some action from you to get to work, such as opening an email attachment. Active worms take advantage of vulnerabilities in a system to run on their own. Simply opening an email or previewing it can launch these aggressive bugs.

Yet another form of virus, a Trojan horse, gives the appearance of being an innocent game or screen saver but can destroy files or let hackers in the back door. While a Trojan horse doesn't automatically spread, it still can cause significant damage.

Trojan horses are often used to steal personal information. Some of these viruses can lift passwords and usernames by installing a keylogger while you're busy with the "fake" program it traveled in under. A keylogger can record your keystrokes and send this information elsewhere.

The latest twists on viruses are sophisticated blended threats, which use malicious code and computer hacking skills to do their damage. With this increasing threat, and with viruses spreading to other platforms, like mobile devices, phones, PDAs, and instant messaging, antivirus vendors can relax, knowing their jobs are secure.

There are even virus hoaxes, which are those unsubstantiated emails that get forwarded rapidly around the world, causing needless worry. This technological game can create even more trouble if the hoax encourages taking action, such as removing essential programs from your system.

All types of viruses have what's known as a payload, the destructive code that shows up to let you know there's trouble in computing paradise. If you've ever had a screensaver pop up that you didn't want or need, had music play unexpectedly, or have been blasted with an obscene message or image as you're working on your annual holiday letter, you've probably been hit with a virus.

While these scenes might seem like mere annoyances, or make you feel like the victim of a practical joker with a sick sense of humor, there is usually more to a virus than meets the eye. Often, they can wipe out all the information on your hard drive, cripple your operating system, delete files, or change stored information.

A common misperception of the damage that can be done with a virus is that it will corrupt your files. "Virus can corrupt your files, but it is more often that it corrupts Windows operating system files, " said Loes, of the Geek Squad. "If you cannot load Windows, you will not be able to access your files."

Bottom line

However you choose to protect yourself, do it today. Too many people purchase antivirus software after they've been hit. And, that's like getting a flu shot after you've spent a few days feeling miserable.

As always, we recommend using a top antivirus program to stay safe.