What exactly is a Computer Virus?

Computer Security

When a computer virus strikes, it is debilitating to the life and performance of the computer but it can also drive you crazy trying to figure it all out. Some computer viruses can be very severe while others may be mild and not that bad to deal with. An attempt to deal with computer viruses without the assistance of an anti-virus software program will likely be a futile attempt.

Most viruses are spread through bogus emails, as a matter of fact, the most destructive ones usually stem from a distribution of tainted emails. These emails come with many different faces; some may be a familiar email by someone that you recognize, while others may not. Some come as attachments and some do not. Most email accounts do come with free virus scanners for download so be sure to use them to the best of their ability. Basically, if the attachment is infected, the anti virus protection will abort the attempt.

Another way that is quite common for people to get a computer virus is through downloads from websites which are bundled and usually come from hacked or peer to peer sites. So more importantly than knowing what a computer virus is, you need to know how to prevent them. There are a lot of sites that detect, prevent and delete computer viruses. Almost all are pay to download websites but many will offer you are free scan which results in multiple detections and then you have to pay for the removal tool. Of course the two programs that are most reputable and most widely used are McAfee and Norton Anti virus programs.

You want to select an anti virus program that covers you from viruses, Trojans, worms, and viruses, anti spy ware and antispam for protection against phishing, spam, malware, adware, and spy ware. You also want to install a firewall to protect yourself from the mighty hackers. Make sure that your choice of program provides regular updates and tech support. A few other things that you can do in an attempt to combat future corruptions is to always back up all of your needed programs on a CD Rom or on some type of media in case of a virus crash, scan all software manually before you install it, set all of your security settings on the highest level, and check out all of your email settings for security.

Many people enjoy downloading music, video, games, and other things from various websites but if you are not completely sure that the website is safe, then skip the download idea altogether unless you run a virus scan on the site before proceeding. If you choose to own a computer then you have to take every precaution to take care of it and protect it from harm. Another thing that you may notice is that when children are allowed to play online, they download everything and if an email is present that catches their eye, you know they will open it. So be extra cautious if you have children that are using your computer. Remember it only takes one second to open an email.