These days; as the Internet and other networks are greatly developed, computer viruses are distributed quite rapidly and intensively.  Everyday, several new viruses capable of considerably damaging your computer system arise.  Anti-virus specialists work hardly to make updates to their software against new viruses as soon as possible.  These viruses can get inside your computer in many different ways.  That is particularly why there is no simple method to protect your computer system.  Only a series of measures can give you somewhat reliable protection from an infection.  Below are 9 steps to protect your MS Windows-based PC system from viruses:

1. Make regular backups.  It should be said that there is no absolutely safe way of protecting your computer.  Virus creators regularly find holes in new computer products to use them for infection of computer systems.  Some dangerous viruses can considerably damage data files or even erase an entire file system!  Make regular backups of your data files to an external file storage device.  This can be a separate hard drive, flash card, compact disc or another file storage device of your choice.  To ease the procedure you can use some automatic backup software as well.

2. Be ready to reinstall your system if it crashes because of viruses.  Get distributives of your operating system and distributives of software which you use and keep them together in a safe place.  In this case if a virus infection causes unrecoverable system failure, you can rapidly reinstall your working medium.

3. Protect your network connection with a Firewall.  A Firewall is a piece of software which blocks suspicious and potentially dangerous connections from preventing viruses from penetrating your system.  Windows XP operating system has quit a simple but reliable built-in firewall.  You can enable it as follows. 1) in Control Panel, double-click “Networking and Internet Connections,” and then click “Network Connections.”  2) Right-click the connection on which you would like to enable firewall, and then click “Properties.”  3) On the “Advanced” tab, check the option to “Protect my computer and network.”  If you need more flexible control of connections with your network, you can get and install more advanced firewall software like “Norton Personal Firewall” or “Outpost Firewall.”  If you use this software you have ability to permit or to block particular connections and to monitor your network activity.

4. Use antivirus software.  Install antivirus software which will scan your system searching and erasing viruses on a regular basis.  I have been installing AVG Antivirus on my client’s machines for years now and it has proven to be both effective and reliable!  In fact, it has picked up viruses on machines that were running Norton Antivirus (which Norton itself failed to notice)!

5. Regularly update operating system.  Windows XP has a built-in automatic updating service.  It regularly contacts the Microsoft server(s) to find updates and notifies you if updates are ready to be installed. Updates are important because hackers regularly find holes in an operating system which are often used by creators of viruses.

6. Don’t install and don’t run suspicious software!  Check new programs which you are going to install with anti-virus software.  Don’t download software from suspicious websites.  To download software, always seek the website of the software creator or official distributor.  Do not open applications received by email from unknown persons.

7. Limit access to your computer.  Protect entry to your computer system with a password.

8. If you use “Microsoft Internet Explorer,” consider moving to another browser.  As IE is the most distributed browser today, virus creators actively use defects in its security system (and there ARE a few!) to infect computers.  Infections may also arise if you visit a webpage which contains invisible harmful code.  Major IE competitors like “Firefox” and “Opera” browsers now provide the same comfortable interface and range of services for working on the Web.

9. Use spam protection. Viruses are often distributed via email.  Switch on spam filters in your email box to block spam receiving.  If you need assistance with using of the filters you can ask your email service provider and I’m sure they will be of assistance.