Virus Control
On the Internet the term Virus is used as a generic term to cover a number of different malicious programs or pieces of code that replicate themselves by attaching to shared programs. Currently e-mail is the most popular way Viruses are transmitted. Some Viruses can access an infected computer's personal e-mail address book to transmit themselves from one machine to another.
You can also get a virus just by connecting to the internet. A type of Virus known as a Worm doesn't require you to even open or install a file. They just check for open ports on your PC for a means to get in and do damage. You have no way of knowing it is even there.
Most viruses make your PC unusable, damage files and will spread to your friends and family, and other Internet users within minutes of infection. Some viruses known as Trojans even allow criminals access to your PC, letting them steal banking and credit card information, or other personal details.
What you can do to prevent a Virus infecting your PC
To prevent this we strongly recommend that you install a trusted anti-virus package. Most commercial packages include Firewall and Anti-Spam features.
Optusnet provides access to our own Internet Security package, which includes anti-spam, anti-virus, anti-spyware, firewall and parental controls which can be installed on up to three PCs. The added benefit of using this software is that Optus provides support for this product over the phone as part of our internet support. You can download this software from http://www.optus.com.au/securitysuite.
Keeping your computer Virus Free
Here are some tips on how to keep your computer virus-free.
- Do not open any files attached to an email from an unknown, suspicious or untrustworthy source.
- Do not open any files attached to an email unless you know what it is, even if it appears to come from a close friend or someone you know. Some viruses can replicate themselves and spread through email. Better be safe than sorry and confirm that they really sent it.
- Do not open any files attached to an email if the subject line is questionable or unexpected. If you really must open a suspect file, always save the file to your hard drive before doing so.
- Delete chain emails and junk email. Do not forward or reply to any to them. These types of email are considered spam, which is unsolicited, intrusive mail that clogs up the network.
- Do not download any files from strangers.
- Exercise caution when downloading files from the Internet. Ensure that the source is a legitimate and reputable one. Verify that an anti-virus program checks the files on the download site. If you're uncertain, don't download the file at all or download the file to a USB stick and test it with your own anti-virus software.
- Update your anti-virus software regularly. Over 500 viruses are discovered each month, so you'll want to be protected. These updates should at minimum be the product's virus signature files. You may also need to update the product's scanning engine as well.
- Back up your files on a regular basis. If a virus destroys your files, doing this will allow you to replace them with your back-up copies. You should store your backup files in a separate location from your working files, one that is preferably not on your computer. External Hard drives are a quick and easy way to ensure you have your data backed up.
- Ensure Web-browser is up to date. Newer versions of web-browsers have addressed vulnerabilities of older types. Visit your browser's main contact site regularly to check for updates.
- When in doubt, always err on the side of caution and do not open, download, or execute any files or email attachments. Not executing is the more important of these caveats. Check with your product vendors for updates, which include those for your operating system, web browser, and email. One example is the security site section of Microsoft located at http://www.microsoft.com/security
To help you keep your computer safe, Optus has made it possible for you to download the Optus Internet Security Suite here