Protect Yourself Against Viruses!

With hundreds of viruses being released each month, companies of all sizes can easily be crippled without adequate protection.

Malicious programs such as viruses (and their counterparts, worms and Trojan horses) can delete or change files, consume computer resources and even allow outsiders to access your files.

Yet the worst part is that they can replicate (or copy) themselves and harvest Email addresses from your contacts list. So once your infected you can easily contaminate your internal system as well as customers, suppliers and anyone else you deal with regularly through email.

Make sure every company PC, server and laptop is fully protected.

Most infections start when a user unknowingly opens and runs a virus-embedded Email attachment. Users are lured into opening and running these programs through enticing or deliberately misleading messages.

Viruses are also embedded in Web pages and in Emails formatted to look like Web pages (HTML-formatted Emails). Embedded viruses simply execute when the page or Email is viewed, and users often have no idea what's happening.

Here are three things you can do to thwart viruses:

1. Install anti-virus software: Anti-virus software should be on all of your computers. It works by scanning the contents of incoming Emails (and files already on your computer), looking for viral signatures. If it finds a virus, it deletes or quarantines it. Because hundreds of viruses are released each month, all antivirus software must be updated regularly with the latest signature definitions so the software can catch the latest viruses. Look for software that automatically downloads the latest definitions and program updates from the Internet. Some companies providing Anti-virus solutions are:
   • Trend Micro
   • Symantec
   • McAfee
   • Grisoft


2. Never Open Suspicious Files: Everyone needs to understand how important it is to delete (not open) any files attached to an email from an unknown, suspicious or untrustworthy source.
   
   
3. Use Email Security Features: Familiarize yourself with your Internet settings and adjust your security so it will help block potentially infected Email.