The first step to preventing viruses from entering your computer system, is to install a reliable antivirus program.

 

Some of the most popular and highly recommended antivirus programs include AVG, McAffee Antivirus, Norton Antivirus, and Trend Micro PC-cillin.

 

Keeping your antivirus program updated is paramount to your computer security. The program can’t detect and protect you from new viruses and privacy compromising software if you haven’t downloaded the security updates that contain information about any new threats.

 

Firewall features that detect and block suspicious websites or sites with known threats will only block a website for very good reason, so I would suggest you follow their advice and visit an alternative website.

 

Disabling any of your antivirus programs protective features can be asking for real trouble. It pays to remember that they have more knowledge and experience in the realm of viruses and other harmful internet threats than the average internet user, and it makes good sense to let them handle your security for you.

Updating your operating system and browser program regularly are also important, the security updates usually fix any parts of your system that might be known targets for harmful software.

 

Keeping your files and programs tidy and running smoothly makes it easier for your antivirus program to protect your computer. Running anti-spyware software such as Stephen Gould’s Cleanup or Advanced WindowsCare V2  helps to keep your system clean, and using the error-checking and defragmentation tools (in Properties on your C Drive) helps it all to run faster and more efficiently.

 

Set up your system to be as secure as possible, but also educate your family or anyone else who uses your computer to use safe practices and to always check with you before installing any kind of program, even games.

 

Your firewall should block almost all pop-up advertising, but on the occasion that one slips through, it is generally safer to simply close the pop-up window.  It’s important to avoid downloading anything that tells you it has already scanned your system and you need to download a program to get rid of the threats it has found. Unfortunately in downloading the seemingly helpful tools they offer, you are allowing them access to your system to install harmful software.

 

Back up all of your files and your system regularly (Windows should back up automatically), then if you do ever get a problem that your antivirus program cannot remove, you can always roll back your system to a backup point before the threat entered your system using the system restore feature.

Some nasty worms and viruses do get sent via email, sometimes by accident, sometimes by the virus itself accessing the address book of an infected computer and generating emails of its own to those addresses.

 

Your anti-virus program should be set up to scan all of your emails, and most web-based emails are scanned automatically, but you need to exercise caution when opening emails that contain attachments that you are unsure of.