What’s a computer virus?
A computer virus spreads from one computer to another by infecting
another file, usually a type of program. Once you’ve got one, it might
slow down your computer, or damage it, or be used by criminals.
There are a vast amount of malicious viruses roaming around the internet and they have different intentions:
- The mischief maker – some viruses will simply slow down your computer’s operating system or stop it from working properly
- The destroyer – some are more serious and are designed to attack your computer and cause irreversible damage
- The thief – others hide themselves in your computer and harvest personal information like passwords and bank details which can be passed back to the virus’s creator
How to protect your computer against viruses
The best way to protect your computer against viruses is to use a
secure antivirus program like Norton or McAfee. Also, never open
programs or email attachments unless you are sure of their origins –
even if they appear to have been sent by a friend, they may in fact be
malicious.
- Make sure that you have up-to-date security software, including antivirus, anti-spyware and a firewall.
- Block all spam emails
- Don’t respond to phishing or other suspicious emails
- Be wary of offers of free software – don’t open them unless you’re sure they’re legitimate
What to do if your computer gets a virus
If your computer gets infected, there are usually tell-tale signs. If
you notice that your computer is taking longer than usual to turn on,
has changed appearance in some way, is less responsive, or is opening
programs that you don’t recognise, it might have become infected.
If that happens, there are a few things you should and shouldn’t do:
- Don’t panic – most viruses are easy to get rid of
- Don’t ignore it either – the longer it’s on your computer, the more damage it can do, and the more likely it is to spread
- Use a free virus scanner like Norton Security Scanner or McAfee Security Scan to check your computer – they’ll run diagnostic checks to identify any known viruses they find there
- Install antivirus software like Norton or McAfee – they can isolate and deactivate most viruses
- If you still can’t get rid of your virus, you could reformat your computer and reinstall the operating system, but this will mean losing everything you have stored on your computer including files, programs and other data
If all else fails, take your computer to a professional repair technician
There are four basic types of computer virus: