Step 2 - Install Virus and Spyware Protection
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Computer viruses and spyware are examples of malicious software — or "malware." To prevent these potential troublemakers from harming your computer systems and the business information you store there, install antivirus and antispyware on every workplace computer. Antivirus and antispyware software is designed to find and alert you to the presence of viruses and spyware and take action against them. Key point: You must keep your antivirus and antispyware software up to date for it to be effective. On This Page
More about viruses and spywareA computer virus is a small piece of software that may seriously disrupt or harm the operation of your computer. Viruses belong to a category of malicious programs that also include worms and Trojan horses. Without your knowledge, hackers and intruders can use e-mail, attachments and other means to deliver these programs to your computer. After it arrives, a virus may delete or change files, consume computer resources, or enable outsiders to access your files. One ominous characteristic of some viruses is that they can replicate themselves and infect even more computers. For instance, a virus can grab e-mail addresses from a contacts list and send itself to those addresses. Virus-infected computers can spread a virus throughout your company and cause serious downtime and data loss. You also risk infecting computers of clients and customers you communicate with using e-mail. Spyware is software downloaded to your computer, typically without your knowledge or permission. It may come attached to a file you have chosen to download or it may get installed when clicking on a banner ad on a Website. If you start seeing pop-up ads on your screen when you are not using the Internet, or notice your system slowing down or crashing frequently, you should suspect spyware. Spyware is annoying, but also can be harmful — potentially changing configurations on your PC, collecting personal information, or allowing intruders to monitor and access your computer. The Security Centre in Windows Vista monitors whether antivirus and antispyware software is present and up to date on your computer. Virus solutionsMany software companies offer effective antivirus programs or "solutions" that you can purchase and install on your computers. These programs can scan e-mail, attachments, and Web traffic to detect various types of viruses and alert you to suspicious activities. They also remove or "clean" viruses for you. Be sure that the antivirus solution you use is automatically updated by the manufacturer in order to catch the latest viruses in circulation. You may find that the update service expires after a year and that you will need to renew it for a fee. Spyware solutionsAntispyware software is also widely available, often offered by the same companies that sell antivirus software. Antispyware works by watching for spyware trying to install itself or run on your computer and by scanning your system automatically to help find and remove spyware that might already be installed. Windows Vista includes Windows Defender, a security tool that helps detect and remove known spyware from your system. You can also download Windows Defender at no charge if your computer runs a licensed copy of Windows. More ways to fight malwareIn addition to installing antivirus and antispyware software, here are a few other ways to help fend off malware.
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