Technology: Beat the bug: How to fight computer viruses

If you depend on the information stored on your personal computer, you need to understand how computer viruses spread, and you should use anti-virus software to reduce the chance that a computer virus will infect your programmes and files. A computer virus is a programme that makes copies of itself and infects files. Computer viruses can spread to other computers and files whenever infected files are exchanged. Some computer viruses can erase or change the information stored on your computer, other viruses may do little or no harm to your system. For example, the words “I Love You” can be scary enough without a virus attached. Computer viruses are on the rise and doing more damage than ever. Last year the ‘I Love You’ virus wound its way through thousands of computers, shutting down entire e-mail systems for some companies. Preventing a viral infection of your computer is much easier than eliminating one you have already contracted. With such effects on your information and computer, knowing how get protect would be the best weapon. There are several things that you should do to gain protection. Use a high-quality anti-virus programme which updates regularly to scan any files, programmes, software, or diskettes before you use them on your computer. Do not forget to scan all your computer drives. Updating recognises and eradicates new bugs as they make the rounds. According to www.uselessknowledge.co, most antivirus software packages offer an automatic background protection mode, which will detect and clean out infections as they appear. Make back-up copies of important documents or files and store them on separate diskettes will also protect your information against accidental file deletion, diskette failure, and other damage. According to Samson Sewanyana, an IT Specialist, always scan your disks and files after using them on another computer not forgetting all file downloaded from the Internet and email attachments before they are read. How do I get anti-virus software?There are a number of antivirus softwares sold in the stores like the likes McAfee, Norton, and AVG. Purchase and install the latest versions of anti-virus software on your computer to protect it from new viruses. A single package will always have it license but requires updates after expiry. eddiemukaaya@yahoo.com