Doctor! Doctor!
Does your computer have a Virus?
A simple explanation of a computer virus is a program that can copy itself and infect a computer without permission or knowledge of the user. This program can be spread a number of different ways, including through emails, via downloads, through the internet, through instant messaging and file sharing or by carrying it on removable mediums such as CD’s, Floppy Disks and USB Drives. Viruses can spread to other computers by infecting files on a network or a file system that is accessed by another computer. So what do they do?Some viruses are programmed to damage the computer by damaging programs, deleting files, or reformatting the hard disk. Others are not designed to do any damage, but simply replicate themselves and perhaps make their presence known by presenting text, video, or audio messages. Even these benign viruses can create problems for the computer user. They typically take up computer memory used by legitimate programs. As a result, they often cause erratic behavior and can result in system crashes. In addition, many viruses are bug-ridden, and these bugs may lead to system crashes and data loss.
The best way to protect your computer is to use one of the many virus programs available on the market. However, it is not a matter of just installing the virus scan, it is also important to perform regular updates. New viruses are being written all the time and even though virus scan companies are trying to keep up, sometimes some viruses can be spread long before the virus companies have found a solution
How can I protect my computer?
The best ways to protect your computer from getting a virus are:
• Never open an email from someone you don’t know.
• Never click download links from websites that you are unsure about.
• Never accept files, via instant messaging or from other computers, from people you don’t know.
• Always do virus scan updates when they are available.
How do I get rid of viruses?
Make sure you use a reputable virus scan. Most virus scans will remove the virus for your, or delete the virus files. They will also check your computer while you are surfing the internet, checking emails or installing programs.
If you don’t have a virus scan, you can get AVG Virus Scan, a very good free virus scan, from
http://free.grisoft.com A paid version is also available to purchase on our homepage
www.pcsol.com.au .
don't forget to check out
www.pcsol.com.au
