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This week we saw what will probably turn out to be the biggest virus wave yet – the NovArg
virus. SimpliTek has received at least 100 emails infected with this virus,
but our anti-virus software caught them all. This is a good time to review
the basics of keeping your computer healthy. These are probably ideas you
have heard before but they bear repeating.
1. Most Important of All: you must be running anti-virus software
on every computer you have on
the Internet. We recommend Norton Anti-Virus if you don’t already have one.
If you need it, buy it in a store and do not download it from their
website.
2. Keep
your subscription to the anti-virus files up to date. If yours has lapsed,
you need to renew your subscription
immediately – you can usually do this from within your anti-virus software
by connecting to the vendor’s website and ordering the renewal with a
credit card.
3. Set your
anti-virus software to download the latest virus signature files
automatically without any intervention. Don’t rely on memory or good
intentions to keep these files up to date.
4. Never
open an email from someone you don’t know. The mere act of opening an
infected email can infect your machine. If there is anything suspicious
about the email such as its title, who it is from,
strange attachments, etc., simply delete it.
5. Do not
download anything from the Internet unless it is essential and is coming
from a reputable company. This includes music, games, screen savers or any
“free” programs.
6. Never
click on anything in a pop-up ad other than the red X to delete the window.
7. Anti-spam
software can help reduce the barrage of spam in your Inbox. We use and
recommend iHateSpam from Sunbelt Software, which costs
about $15 and works pretty well. Spam messages are frequently infected with
viruses.
8. If you
have only one computer, use the Internet Connection Firewall present in Windows
XP to keep unwanted intruders off your machine.
9. If you
have multiple computers, you really need a hardware firewall. Most routers
which allow you to share an Internet connection among multiple computers
also function as a firewall and are sufficient if properly configured.
If you need
advice or would like SimpliTek to come out and assess your network to help
you look for weaknesses and insecurities, call us.
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