How to protect computer from virus

Like home foreclosures and bed bugs, computer viruses are things you increasingly read about in the papers but fervently hope you will never have to deal with. Unfortunately, as many people are finding out, hope is proving to be a very poor form of prevention.

There are literally millions of computer viruses already in existence and thousands more are created every day. It’s no longer a case of if your computer will be attacked by a virus but when. However, there are certain actions you can take to reduce the risk of a picking up a virus, and you don’t have to be a security expert to adopt a few elementary safeguards.

But first, a little bit more about viruses, and how you might be able to tell if you are infected.

What is a virus?

A computer virus is a small software program that spreads from one computer to another computer. Although some viruses are benign, others can attack data and seriously affect a computer’s performance. Viruses increase their chances of spreading to other computers by using communication programs like e-mail or instant messaging, or by infecting network system files.

How are viruses spread?

Computer viruses are most easily spread by attachments in e-mail messages. They can be disguised as documents, images, audio and video files, or even greeting cards. Computer viruses can also be hidden in pirated software or in downloads from the Web.

How can I tell if my computer is infected with a virus?

The following are some of the primary indicators that your computer may be infected with a virus, although some of these problems can also be caused by other factors:

• Your computer is running slower than usual.
• Your computer locks up or stops responding.
• Your computer suddenly restarts on its own.
• Programs you regularly use are suddenly slow to load and operate.
• Applications and disk drives are suddenly inaccessible.
• Unusual error messages appear.
• New, unexpected icons appear on the desktop.
• Anti-virus software is disabled or will not run.

How to protect your computer against viruses?

Practice safe computing. Don’t click on random links that lead to unknown files and web sites. Never open an e-mail attachment unless you know who sent the message and you are expecting the attachment. Avoid searching for free stuff and visiting adult or pirate web sites, as these will all increase your chances of encountering malware.

Also, avoid clicking on random computer scanning or “clean-up” services, as these links can often lead to the acquisition of viruses, or are phishing scams looking to capture your credit card information.

Other actions you can take:

• Use a Firewall. A firewall can help alert you to suspicious activity across your network. It can also block viruses, worms, and hackers from attempting to download potentially harmful programs to your computer. If you are using Windows 7, make sure the Windows Firewall is turned on.

• Keep your software up-to-date. Microsoft, and now Apple, periodically release special security updates that can help protect your computer by closing possible security holes. In Windows, make sure automatic updating is turned on.

• Install an anti-virus program. Installing an anti-virus program and keeping it up-to-date can help protect your computer against viruses. New viruses appear on a daily basis, so choose an anti-virus program that is regularly updated by the manufacturer.

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The internet brings so many opportunities – from surfing the web to talking to friends and online banking – but it’s also filled with cyber criminals looking to sabotage your machine.

By installing malware-like viruses remotely on your computer they can steal vital information or just stop your machine working. Take these steps to ensure you don’t become a victim of cyber crime...

1. Use antivirus software

Make sure you have some kind of security program installed. Whether it's a free suite from the likes of Microsoft, AVG or Avast, or a paid-for offering from Norton, Sophos or BitDefender. This will ensure that most threats are blocked before they can install themselves on your machine. Make sure you keep the software up to date as well. Apply any patches or updates as soon as they’re released. If the software has automatic updating, then switch it on.

2. Keep your Operating System (OS) updated

Make sure you keep Windows updated. Microsoft regularly releases security updates to patch any security flaws in your PC, so make sure you install them as soon as they’re released. To make your life easier, you can opt to have them automatically installed. To switch this on, on a Windows 7 PC, press the Start button and in the search box type update. From the results, select Windows Update. You can also access this by opening the Control Panel and, under the System and Security heading, select Windows Update. From the left-hand side, select Change Settings and then under the section marked Important Update select the automatic updating option.

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On a Windows 8 PC, from the home screen swipe towards the left-hand side and select the Settings icon. From the bottom of the screen choose Change PC Settings, then select Update and Recovery from the left-hand menu. Next click Choose How Updates are Installed, and then select the automatic updates option.

Got Windows 10? Press the Start button, and then choose Settings. From the options displayed choose Update & Security, followed by Windows Update and then press Advanced options. Now you can choose how updates are installed.

If you've got a Mac, open the App Store app, then select Updates in the toolbar and select the updates you want to install.

3. Turn on User Account Control (UAC)

User Account Control alerts you when software needs to make a change to your PC and you can accept whether the change can or can’t be made. To turn on UAC, on a Windows 7 or Windows 10 PC open the Control Panel and select the System and Security heading. Under the section marked Action Centre, select Change User Account Control. Move the slider to Always Notify to ensure UAC always warns you when a change is needed.

On a Windows 8 PC, it's slightly different. From the home screen, swipe towards the left hand side and select the Settings icon. From the bottom of the screen choose Change PC Settings. Then select Control Panel and follow the steps above.

4. Be cautious when clicking on links and attachments

Whether it’s a post by one of your friends on a social networking site, or an email from a contact, be careful when opening a link or attachment. Generic terms such as ‘this is funny’ or ‘Look what I saw about you’ accompanied with a link are most probably malicious so don’t click on them. Never open attachments from emails where you don’t know the sender.

‘Remember that scammers know people are more likely to click on links from their friends, so they compromise accounts to send malicious links to the account owner's contacts and these can be harder to identify,’ says Nick Shaw, General Manager, UK & Nordics, at internet security firm Norton by Symantec.

5. Don’t search for URLs

Using Google or other search engines to find websites belonging to your bank or favourite social networks is tempting. However, cyber criminals exploit search engines and those searching by creating bogus websites infected with malicious code to emulate well-known sites such as your bank. It may have two letters transposed or a different ending. They use key words and advertising to get the sites to appear high on search results, but if you click on them you will either see your PC infected with malware, or they’ll encourage you to enter your account details so they can fraudulently access your social network, online banking or other online account. Always type the website address yourself into the URL bar and never search for it.

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6. Look for secure sites

When browsing the internet, URLs normally begin with 'http', but when a website has been confirmed as secure it will start with https. Nick Shaw urges web users to always make sure that any sites they’re signing in to, whether it's internet banking, social networks or online shopping sites, have 'https' in the URL bar to ensure their details and their PC remain secure.

7. Only download software from trusted sites

Looking to download some software for your computer? Find out who makes it and always head to the manufacturer’s site or a large trusted software site such as download.com. Again, cyber criminals may encourage you to download malware by pretending it’s the software you’re after.

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