Elroy Jetson
Little Dipper School
- Joined
- 31 Oct 2002
- Messages
- 330
I cannot believe how many people fall victim to viruses these days. Is it really so hard to be a little careful, use common sense, and keep the computer a little safe?
At my work last week, several PCs fell victim to the LovSan virus, and I keep reading a lot about computers getting infected here, too. I is really not that difficult to keep your pc safe.
Some simple rules:
1. Install an Anti Virus program and KEEP IT UP TO DATE!!! There are free ones out there that also plug in to email clients (for Example AVG http://www.grisoft.com is free and plugs into Eudora email, free from http://www.eudora.com).
2. NEVER open an attachment from someone you don’t know, or use a text editor to view it first, if you are curious. Most text editors enable you to view simple scripts.
3. Install a personal firewall. Sygate (http://download.com.com/3001-2092-10184369.html) , Kerio (http://www.kerio.com) and Zone Alarm (http://www.zonelabs.com) are free! And they will keep your ports closed. These programs will also tell you if a program is trying to access the internet, so you know what is happening on your PC all the time (and you should).
4. Keep Windows up to date with security patches (http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com).
If you just take about 5 minutes per week to update your AV and Windows, you will be rewarded with trouble free operation for the rest of the time.
Is it really that difficult? In my 18 years of computer lifer, I have NEVER had a virus infect my pc. Why? Because I take care.
Now: I don’t want to read any more posts about infected computers…..
EJ
At my work last week, several PCs fell victim to the LovSan virus, and I keep reading a lot about computers getting infected here, too. I is really not that difficult to keep your pc safe.
Some simple rules:
1. Install an Anti Virus program and KEEP IT UP TO DATE!!! There are free ones out there that also plug in to email clients (for Example AVG http://www.grisoft.com is free and plugs into Eudora email, free from http://www.eudora.com).
2. NEVER open an attachment from someone you don’t know, or use a text editor to view it first, if you are curious. Most text editors enable you to view simple scripts.
3. Install a personal firewall. Sygate (http://download.com.com/3001-2092-10184369.html) , Kerio (http://www.kerio.com) and Zone Alarm (http://www.zonelabs.com) are free! And they will keep your ports closed. These programs will also tell you if a program is trying to access the internet, so you know what is happening on your PC all the time (and you should).
4. Keep Windows up to date with security patches (http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com).
If you just take about 5 minutes per week to update your AV and Windows, you will be rewarded with trouble free operation for the rest of the time.
Is it really that difficult? In my 18 years of computer lifer, I have NEVER had a virus infect my pc. Why? Because I take care.
Now: I don’t want to read any more posts about infected computers…..
EJ