What Is a Computer Virus?
Viruses vary in sophistication but usually spread surreptitiously and are designed to hide themselves. A virus can do significant damage. Some slow the operation of the computer while others may erase files or reformat a hard drive. Some viruses are created as relatively harmless pranks, causing the computer to show a message or to beep. Even these "innocuous" viruses are damaging because they degrade computer performance and waste your time detecting and removing them-and perhaps damage your reputation should you inadvertently infect others.
How Infection Occurs
Viruses spread through contact with infected programs, e-mail attachments, and diskettes. For example, your machine could become infected if you share it or diskettes with others. You also run a risk by downloading programs over the Internet. Moreover, there have been verified cases of infected commercial software. In short, if you share computers, diskettes, or files, your system is susceptible to infection.
Virus protection software
U-M site-licensed antivirus software has been installed on your computer by Tech Services. PC users have McAfee Virus Scan software. Macintosh users have Virex software.This software is configured to scan continuously in the background and automatically update its ability to detect new viruses.
How to Protect Against Infection
Follow these tips to help prevent contracting a virus:
Only open e-mail attachments received from sources you trust and that you are expecting.
Back up your hard drive files frequently and maintain multiple backup sets.
If you are experiencing unusually slow performance, apparent file loss or damage, or other abnormalities, immediately check your hard drives and diskettes for infection.
Delete chain emails and junk email. Do not forward or reply to any to them. These types of email are considered spam, which is unsolicited, intrusive mail that clogs up the network.
Download software only from sites you are familiar with, and immediately check it with your anti-virus software.
Don't spread hoaxes and rumors. There are a number of urban legends and other reports of fake email viruses; these cause unneeded panic. If someone sends you an email warning of a virus, please check with the Virus Busters site first before forwarding the message to everyone you know. They maintain a list of known hoaxes, and can save you the embarrassment of panicking everyone on your email address book. If you don't see the virus you are checking on, please feel free to ask them; they are open to all comers. See ( http://www.itd.umich.edu/virusbusters/ ).
The University of Michigan currently has site-licensed Virex (Macintosh) and McAfee Virus Scan (Windows) software. They are available at no charge to U-M students, faculty, and staff.To download the software and receive in-depth information about viruses, please visit the U-M Virus Busters Web site ( http://www.itd.umich.edu/virusbusters/ ).
2007-03-26 22:23:29
·
answer #1
·
answered by CK 4
·
2⤊
0⤋
Have an Anti virus software kept running on your PC .
Microsoft Suggests the Following AV Softwares :-
1) Windows Live One Care
2) AVG AntiVirus
3) MaCafee Anti Virus
2007-03-27 04:49:51
·
answer #2
·
answered by Anonymous
·
0⤊
0⤋
There are many anti virus softwares avaialble , some are free which can be downloaded from net. The only precaution must be taken is to keep updating this software minimun once a week, else your PC may get some virus.
2007-03-28 19:39:34
·
answer #3
·
answered by Shemit 6
·
0⤊
0⤋
1) Don't use the internet. Just like STDs, the only 100% way to prevent them is abstinence.
If 1 is impossible, continue:
2) Don't look at ****. A lot of viruses come from ****.
3) Download from trusted sites. You never know what might come with a download.
4) Don't download email attachments, unless you know the sender.
5) Don't download free toolbars (unless they are from google, yahoo, etc)
6) Get a good AntiVirus (AVG Free is my suggestion)
7) Get a good spyware sweeper (Spybot S&D is good)
2007-03-26 22:31:43
·
answer #4
·
answered by Anonymous
·
0⤊
0⤋
1. Install and update your antivirus
2. Don't go to suspicious websites and avoid downloadading suspicious looking files
3. Always scan diskettes from other users before letting them be used on your PC.
4. Scan e-mail attachments.
5. Be careful when responding to IM links that promote something. If it is too good to be true, it probably is, even if it comes from one of your friends.
2007-03-26 22:50:40
·
answer #5
·
answered by meco031719 3
·
0⤊
0⤋
There are some issues I constantly do and have not had an argument with a deadly disease yet. a million)verify record sizes - seem in any respect the records, and bypass the backside ones, they are often junk or viruses (I keep removed from low high quality anyhow) 2) keep removed from something quicktime (.ending with .mov) - they often open hyperlinks to issues that provide you viruses. 3)as quickly as you get a record, appropriate click on it and your anti-virus ought to have a tab there to aid you "test" the record previously you open it. desire that facilitates! :D
2016-10-20 00:54:27
·
answer #6
·
answered by Anonymous
·
0⤊
0⤋
To Avoid Viruses in pc , First you install anti virus software. virus spread over by Internet, copy from another system / flabby / cd etc., for copy from flabby / CD first do virus scan of particular flabby / cd .
2007-03-26 22:50:12
·
answer #7
·
answered by samsung 4
·
0⤊
0⤋
By using anti virus softwares like` McAfee Virusscan enterprise' `Norton anti virus' etc and also there are some other antivirus softwares.
U can also download some antivirus softwares from websites for free of cost.
plz search from these sites...
http://www.margcompusoft.com
www.orgsites.com/ny/freesoftwarez
www.techblogy.com/kelvinlovesirenetan/absolutely-free-softwares
www.softpedia.com
2007-03-26 22:38:42
·
answer #8
·
answered by swaagat143 4
·
0⤊
0⤋
you always will come across virusis on you computer from bad software and the web the best bet is to get a good antivirus installed on to your pc like mcafee norton avg or bulldog .
using a antivirus programe will cut the risk of getting one but it wont eliminate the change of getting one there always is a new virus being made to make our lifes missery on the web.
2007-03-26 22:31:01
·
answer #9
·
answered by grotpig 2
·
0⤊
0⤋
All of these are ones that I personally use and all are free.After you install any of them,make sure you update them to get the full affect.
Download Grisoft AVG 7.5 Anti-Virus,Anti-Malware.(free)
AVG is a collection of anti-virus protection tools that gives you full protection against viruses, worms, Trojans and malware. AVG provides you with all that you need to be completely protected: including a tool for scanning your hard drive and e-mail, as well as a real-time shield to prevent infections.
Top Features
» Provides automatic update functionality
» Its a reliable anti-virus scanning engine
» Provides free Virus Updates for life
» Options to define file name extensions
» Real time protection with resident shield, email scanning
http://free.grisoft.com/doc/5390/lng/us/...
Spybot - Search & Destroy detects and removes spyware, a relatively new kind of threat not yet covered by common anti-virus applications. Spyware silently tracks your surfing behaviour to create a marketing profile for you that is transmitted without your knowledge to the compilers and sold to advertising companies. If you see new toolbars in your Internet Explorer that you haven't intentionally installed, if your browser crashes inexplicably, or if your home page has been "hijacked" (or changed without your knowledge), your computer is most probably infected with spyware. Even if you don't see the symptoms, your computer may be infected, because more and more spyware is emerging. Spybot-S&D is free.
http://www.spybot.info/
http://superantispyware.com/
SUPERAntiSpyware is the most thorough scanner on the market. Our Multi-Dimensional Scanning and Process Interrogation Technology will detect spyware that other products miss! SUPERAntiSpyware will remove ALL the Spyware, NOT just the easy ones!
Easily remove over 100,000 pests such as SmitFraud, Vundo, WinFixer, SpyAxe, SpyFalcon, WinAntiVirus, AntiVermins and thousands more!
What You Can Do To Protect Yourself
Install Anti-Virus Software and Update it Daily! Always leave it Functioning and Enabled!
Make sure your Anti-Virus Software is set to monitor your E-Mail Program that you send and receive E-Mail with!
Do not temporarily disable your Anti-Virus Software as it is too easy to forget to re-enable it!
Always keep your computer updated with the latest Security Patches! Microsoft releases them frequently as infected E-Mail Attachments may attempt to exploit program vulnerabilities.
Do not open attachments unless you are absolutely certain of the sender and the contents!
2007-03-26 22:23:46
·
answer #10
·
answered by G 7
·
1⤊
0⤋