Is there a point you can reach where you no longer need to worry about a computer virus? Quick answer: No. You will never reach a point where you have a 100% guarantee that a virus can’t infect your system. There are, however, a few steps you can take to help get you as close as possible to that 100% guarantee.
1. Anti-Virus Programs
Whether you are working from a desktop or a laptop, a PC or a Mac, a tablet or a phone, you need a quality anti-virus program. It is just good sense to invest in an anti-virus program that will work as hard as you do, and will help keep you safe.
The truth is though, an anti-virus program is only going to work if you use it properly. Some quick tips on using an anti-virus program:
– Don’t use more than one at a time. Having three anti-virus programs running on your computer won’t make you three times safer. Anti-virus programs don’t play well with others, and instead of working together, they will cancel each other out and you will end up with little to no protection at all.
– Don’t randomly shut it off. There may be certain situations where you need to turn off your anti-virus in order for another program to work correctly. However, this should never be done without the permission of your IT support. They will be able to look into the program, find out why the anti-virus software doesn’t like it, and help you determine how best to proceed. If it is a program you use sporadically, they might advise you to turn it off for a few minutes. But, if it is a program you use every day, you want to dig deeper and really analyze the issue- you might need to use a different anti-virus program.
2. Follow Directions
Can you remember the last time you rebooted your computer? If not, it’s time to reboot. When you reboot your computer, it allows updates to go through, which help your computer run more efficiently. It also helps give your hardware a break, even if it is only for a minute. You need to take proper care of your computer in order for it to last longer and run better.
Your IT support has some instructions for you on how best to take care of your computer, such as leaving it on every night for background work to get done, rebooting once a week to allow updates to go through, etc. It is really important that you pay attention to these instructions and try to follow them as best as possible. These instructions are not given lightly either, they are necessary in order for your IT support to help keep your network running as smoothly as possible.
3. Education
The best way you and your employees are going to protect yourselves and your network from viruses is to educate yourselves. Having the best anti-virus program in the world won’t protect your network if one employee keeps opening the wrong emails and clicking on dangerous links.
Our recommendation is to have a quick training session once or twice a year to review how to stay safe on your computers and the internet. Demonstrate how to spot a bad link, why you don’t want a million toolbars, etc.
Everyone wants that 100% guarantee, but when it comes to computer viruses, it doesn’t exist. By educating yourself and following the advice of your IT support professionals though, you can come pretty close. Just remember that even if you are doing everything right, and even if your IT support professionals have everything running the way it should be, there will still be those one or two super-sneaky viruses that find their way through. So make sure, when that does happen, to contact your IT support right away. They will not only help you get rid of it, they will also be able to see where it came from and work to figure out how to prevent it from attacking again.
Have you ever had a really bad experience with a computer virus? We want to hear them! Tell us about them in the comments.