How to Limit Computer Infections - Be Sure to Use Updated Anti-Virus & Anti-Spyware Software
Limit the Number of Computer Infections
When individual computer users apply preventative safety procedures, the whole internet community benefits. If one computer avoids infection, it is possible that thousands of computers avoided the possible infection. For example, if an infector can send itself to every available address in the computer and that computer recognizes the infector, then disinfects, removes or quarantines it, every address in the address book and every address in all those address books has also avoided the infection.
Imagine if every computer user reduced their personal number of computer infections.
Many infectors can be identified with updated anti-virus and anti-spyware software before massive geographic infection occurs. To limit the number of infections you can:
- Install security patches and updates as they are released for your operating system and installed programs.
- Use updated anti-virus software regularly especially before opening an email attachment.
- Don’t install anti-virus or anti-spyware software from a link or attachment in an email. Install directly from purchased removable media or the manufacturer’s website.
- Ask in a phone call or separate email if the sender actually did send the email attachment.
- Tell your email program not to automatically display attachments and messages.
- View emails as text messages instead of as HTML messages.
- Set your chat program to where you have the option to accept or reject files from other chatroom users.
A computer can be infected from:
- text messaging programs
- downloads
- email attachments especially with extensions of *.vbs, *.pif and *.shs
- emails without text
- accepting files from chatroom and cell phone users and file-sharing networks
As you already know, a computer system (home computer, laptop, smartphones) can get infections like the human body. Infections can be recognized by symptoms. Symptoms can be displays of unusual appearance, responses, or behavior (ex: sluggishness or over-activity). The home computer user should be able to recognize, prevent and remove the majority of prevalent infections using anti-virus and anti-spyware software.
This post is part of the series: Computer Infectors: Identifying the Infectors, Recognizing the Symptoms and How They Can Be Used
These articles explain the definition of an infector, how they can include more than viruses and worms, how to identify infectors when they first arrive so you can avoid infection and how to recognize them after they are installed through symptoms.
