Upgrade your protection every year or two at the latest
Avoid using private software
Always check disks and CDs from external sources for viruses
Always clarify abnormal PC behavior
If infected, make sure that you clean each and every hard
drive, CD, or disk that has been infected
Back up your data at regular intervals
One solution for Windows users is AVG Anti-virus which offers a free
for personal use version. However their latest paid version offers
greater protection and additional features. Another possible
free solution for Windows users
comes from Avast.
Avast offers a free anti-virus program and a tool to clean systems infected by selected
worms and viruses. There are also a number of free online scans
available. One such scan is available from McAfee. Look for FreeScan in the free tools area of their
web page. HouseCall
is another good free online virus scan. Panda Software also offers a good online
virus scan. Stinger
from Network Associates is a great application that is updated
regularly and scans for and removes some of the latest top Windows
virus threats. The Symantec
Security Check also offers free virus detection.
Network Chico does not
recommend turning off or disabling the notices from your anti-virus software. Reputable anti-virus
programs should obtain updates to their virus definitions as
often as several times a week, if not daily. And of course any
notification of suspicious programs, code or viruses should be
evaluated and reacted to immediately. Many modern computer viruses
seek to disable anti-virus software or prevent it from updating
itself.
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