Four Easy Steps to Protect
Your PC From Viruses
Perform the following three free steps on your PC and and you'll be protected against the most common infections and still be left with time and money for lunch.
Set your browser and e-mail security
Microsoft's Internet Explorer, Outlook, and Outlook Express contain features that automatically download and run software on the Windows operating system, including viruses.
Internet Explorer is easy to fix. Open the browser, select the Tools menu and click on Internet Options. Click the tab labeled Security and select the content zone labeled Internet. Click the button marked Default Level. This will ensure that your browser won't download and install any programs from Web pages without prompting you for permission first.
Make virus attachments in your e-mail easier to spot, by setting your computer to display file extensions. Hiding file extensions was meant to make file names less daunting for users: Instead of "report.doc" and "installer.exe", they'd see "report" and "installer". Virus writers quickly figured out that if they named an e-mail attachment "report.doc.exe," though, it shows up onscreen as "report.doc." Showing the full file names outs the two-extension trick.
Get Microsoft's security updates
Most viruses and spyware take advantage of security holes in the Windows operating system. Microsoft has set up an windows update site at http://www.update.microsoft.com that will guide you through steps to fix the holes in the operating system. Next, enable Microsoft's automatic updates for the operating system.
Check for spyware
Spyware programs aren't usually built to spy on you but to serve you targeted ads as you work. But some spyware can steal personal information or set up remote access to your PC for spammers. A security expert recently reported finding a shocking average of 30 such programs installed on a random sample of its customers' machines. No one antispyware program catches them all, but a combination of Ad-aware and Spybot Search & Destroy makes for a pretty thorough sweep. See below for links to these free downloads.
These three free steps won't make your computer 100 percent attack-proof, but they'll protect you from many of the annoying infections already out there. They would have protected you from the viruses soBig, MyDoom, Sasser as well as most of the spyware hiding in Web pages and free software packages. What's more, the automatic updates will protect you against new threats in the future.
Install Powerful protection against malicious virus infections!
With PC Tools AntiVirus you are protected against the most nefarious cyber-threats attempting to gain access to your PC and personal information. Going online without protection against the latest fast-spreading virus and worms, b such as Netsky, Mytob and MyDoom, can result in infections within minutes.
Once infected, the virus will usually attempt to spread itself to your friends, family and associates by accessing your email contacts and networked PCs. The infection may also allow hackers to access files on your PC, use it to launch attacks against other computers and websites or to send mass SPAM email.
That’s why PC Tools AntiVirus provides world-leading protection, with rapid database updates, OnGuard™ real-time protection and comprehensive system scanning to ensure your system remains safe and virus free. PC Tools products are trusted and used by millions of people everyday to protect their home and business computers against online threats.
PC Tools AntiVirus feature highlights
- Protects your PC as you are working, surfing and playing
- Detects, quarantines, disinfects and destroys Viruses, Trojans and Worms
- OnGuard™ protects your computer against threats in real-time
- Automatically checks for frequent updates against the latest threats
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