Below is some advice on how to avoid being infected by a virus, worms, Trojans, and other threats. Remember that prevention is one of the most efficient tools for combating computer viruses.
Backup copies: Get into the habit of making regular backup copies of your most important data. This is one of the most common pieces of advice in the computer world, but one that is rarely followed. Regular backup copies do not only solve the problem of viruses and other types of malicious software (malware), but also any other problem that may occur in the computer. By making backup copies of important data only, your copies will be small and quick to make. A backup copy should be made at least once every month.
Scan everything you receive: This is one of the most important forms of prevention. Scan any programs or files that you are going to insert or have inserted in your computer before you run or open them. This will allow you to detect possible viruses before they infect any of your files.
Scan everything you send: Make sure that everything you send to other users or share in a network is totally malware-free. It is as important to make sure that you avoid spreading infection as it is to protect the malware entry points of your computer.
Use active automatic protection: Automatic protection constantly checks all operations carried out in the computer that could compromise its security. If you have reliable automatic protection such as that included in Platinum Internet Security, the risk of infection is minimal and working with your computer is much easier, as you no longer have to remember to scan everything you receive. Your automatic protection automatically takes care of it.
Regular scans: Scan your entire computer regularly. The scheduled scans in Platinum Internet Security make it easy to carry out regular scans when you are not using the computer. This type of scan will prevent any virus or threat that has entered your computer from spreading too far. It is best to scan the whole system at least once a week, although this depends on how much you use your computer.
Keep up-to-date: Given the number of new threats detected every month – some 300 – it is essential that you have an update service to keep your security solution up-to-date. Otherwise your computer will be at the mercy of the new, dangerous viruses and threats that continuously appear.
Clean boot disk (Rescue disks): It is always a good idea to have a malware-free boot disk on hand. This disk will help you to clean the computer if it is infected with a virus. Although you can create this disk yourself, Platinum Internet Security allows you to create several disks during the installation process or at any other time. With these disks you can boot the computer from a virus-free environment and scan the computer from the command prompt window. It is a good idea to create these disks so that you will always have boot disks and disinfection disks (Rescue Disks). These disks are vital for disinfecting a computer that is infected with a virus.
To sum up, in order to avoid viruses and other threats you should consider and put into practice a series of tips. If you want to consult these tips, you can find them in the Practical tips to protect yourself against viruses section in this Help file.
For tips on preventing infection, consult the Practical tips to protect yourself against viruses and other threats section (in this Help file), or visit the Virus encyclopedia, on the Panda Software website http://www.pandasoftware.com/virus_info/encyclopedia.