How can I protect my computer from viruses?

If you read my last post in which I talked about some common and ridiculous myths and misconceptions that people have about viruses, then I'm sure you are now better informed on the subject.

So the question now is, if throwing clothes over my computer will not protect my computer from viruses, then how exactly can I protect my computer? I will try to answer this question as simply as I can.

The first thing I'd like you to understand is that;

There is no complete solution or totally effective way to prevent computer virus infections...

Now, now, before you hurl your mouse at me, hear me out, there just might be one way...

complete computer celibacy

Yeah that's right, no contact with the internet, flash drives, cds, memory card, bluetooth or any other form of electronic intercourse. Your computer stands alone, immune from all those nasty viruses that threaten your precious data. The trouble with that approach is that while it is completely effective, it is very impractical. Like how boring can a computer that doesn't connect to anything get? No music, no games, no videos, no facebook...Jeez!

The reality is that your computer must interact, and the risk of virus infections is one of the realities of such interaction. So now that we're agreed on that, let's talk about how best you can keep your data safe, and the virus nasties out.

Get good antivirus protection

This might seem like a no-brainer, but the truth is that a lot of computer users do not have antivirus protection. Notice that I said antivirus protection, not software. A lot of people have antivirus software that is hopelessly out of date, and think they are protected. Getting the software is only half the battle. If it is to be any good, you need to update it consistently, either by an internet connection, or by offline update installations. Choosing good antivirus software, whether paid or free, is another wide topic which will be covered in subsequent posts. For now however, it will suffice to say that using a free scanner like AVG, or a paid one like Norton is your frontline defence mechanism against viruses. A good antivirus program will scan your e-mail, act as a firewall, monitor your hard drive and keep up-to-date with the latest viruses (mostly via an internet connection). It is reported that there are over 500 new viruses discovered each month, and this is why you absolutely must keep your antivirus up to date.

Antivirus protection is a pretty good way of dealing with most issues. But to increase your computer's immunity, the following virus prevention tips are also important

1. Be very wary of e-mail with an attachment from some one you do not know, it could contain a malicious program.

2. Before you copy a file to your computer from a removable device, scan it with an anti-virus program.

3. If you download a file from the Internet, first copy it to your hard drive and scan it with an anti-virus program before opening the file or running it.

4. Always try to update your browser software, as viruses keep trying to take advantage of the flaws in outdated browsers to get into your system.

5. Stay away from porn and adult sites, software hacks, wares, torrents and crack sites. These sites are practically virus factories, using the promise of free and lewd content to lure you in while they slip the malware under your hood. There are plenty of trusted and secure websites where you can download free stuff.

The above tips should keep your computer in reasonably good shape and virus free in most cases. So unless you have gone and provoked the brotherhood of virus-making geeks into a full scale virus attack on your system, you have nothing to worry about. If this doesn't quite cover it for you, please ask your question in the comments section, and I'll be happy to help.