Running up-to-date antivirus software is great, but there is an even better protection against viruses, worms, and other malware threats. A little common sense is the absolute best defense against computer threats of all kinds.
When you receive an e-mail titled “re: your mortgage loan,” but you don’t recognize the sender and you know that you never sent a message titled “your mortgage loan” in the first place, it’s guaranteed to be spam, and may even contain some sort of malware. Fight your curiosity. Don’t even bother opening it. Just delete it.
The User Account you use should not have Administrator privileges. If you’re using a User Account that does not have the authority to install software or make configuration changes to the operating system, most malware will be unable to infect the system.
You should also avoid suspicious or questionable Web sites.The Web is filled with millions of Web pages, the vast majority of which are just fine. No matter what you’re searching for, there is probably a perfectly reputable site where you can find it. But once you venture into the dark and shady side of the Internet, there is no telling what kind of nasty things you can pick up.
Another common source of malware is file sharing. Many of the files and programs that can be found on peer-to-peer file sharing networks, such as Bit Torrent, contain Trojans or other malware. Be cautious when executing files from questionable sources.You should always scan these files with your antivirus software before executing them.
You can get malware infections by surfing the Web, using your e-mail, sharing network resources, or opening Microsoft Office files. It can be scary to think that just about everything you might want to use your computer for exposes you to threats of one kind or another. However, a little common sense and a healthy dose of skepticism should keep you safe.
