Malware Prevention

Although there have been a few viruses that spread via unusual means (security breaches in Windows or Internet Explorer) most infections can still be prevented by following safe computing practices.  Here are the top things you can do to prevent infection:

1) Run anti-virus software on your computer and keep it up-to-date.  (A 4-year-old anti-virus program whose subscription ran out three years ago is not protecting you against anything you're likely to run across today.)  Boreal usually recommends
NOD32 (www.eset.com) but there are many others out there, such as Norton Anti-virus, McAfee Anti-Virus, Pc-cillin, Bitdefender, Kaspersky, and AVG.

2) Be very cautious about anything you download from the Internet.  Some of the favorite means of spreading for today's viruses are downloaded video files, files shared via Instant Messaging, downloaded games or screen savers, ActiveX controls on web pages, links in email messages (ex. fake greeting card emails) and the old standby - attachments to email messages. 

3) Beware suspicious emails.  Email is still a favorite way for viruses to spread. Don't open any email attachment you don't recognize, and don't ever click on the link in any suspicious email.  Suspicious emails are emails from someone you don't know, emails from someone you do know but where the body of the email looks like some kind of generic message, email advertisements or newsletters you did not sign up for, etc.

4) Keep up-to-date on your Windows security patches.  Depending on how your computer is configured, you may see an alert when there's a new update available or your computer may automatically download it.  A word of warning: some malware disguises itself as a Windows security alert.  If you click on an alert and it wants you to purchase an update, download an anti-spyware program, or download anything from a site other than microsoft.com, don't do it!  Instead, click your Start button and select All Programs, Windows Update to go to the Microsoft site to check for available updates.

Other advice: Back up your files on a regular basis.  If you do get infected, having a current backup of all your important files will help prevent you from losing data.