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How can I avoid viruses, Trojans, worms and spyware?
- Use anti-virus software: Install anti-virus software on all your desktops and servers, and ensure that they are kept up to date. New viruses can spread extremely quickly, so have an updating infrastructure in place that can update all the computers in your company seamlessly, frequently, and at short notice. Run email filtering software at your email gateway as well, in order to protect your business from the threats of email-borne viruses, spam and spyware.
- Block file types that often carry viruses: These include EXE, COM, PIF, SCR, VBS, SHS, CHM and BAT file types.
- Block file types with more than one file-type extension: Some viruses disguise the fact that they are programs by using a double extension, such as .TXT.VBS, after their filename. Block any file with double extensions at the email gateway.
- Ensure all programs are checked by the IT department: Ensure that all programs received from the outside world via email go directly to your IT department or, in the case of small businesses, your IT person, for checking and approval. They can confirm that it is virus-free, properly licensed, unlikely to conflict with existing software, and is suitable.
- Subscribe to an email alert service: An alert service can warn you about new viruses and offer virus identities that will enable your anti-virus software to detect them. Consider adding a live virus information feed to your website or intranet to ensure that your users know about the very latest computer viruses.
- Use a firewall on computers connected to the internet
- Stay up to date with software patches
- Back up your data regularly: Make regular backups of important work and data, and check that the backups were successful. Backups should also be stored in a safe place, perhaps offsite.
- Introduce an anti-virus policy: Such policy should include:
- Don’t download executables and documents directly from the internet.
- Don’t open unsolicited programs, documents or spreadsheets.
- Don’t play computer games or use screensavers which did not come with the operating system
- Submit email attachments to the IT department for checking.
- Save all word documents as RTF (Rich Text Format) files, since DOC files can harbour macro viruses.
- Treat any unexpected mail with suspicion.
- Forward virus warnings or hoaxes directly to IT and no-one else) to confirm whether they are genuine or not.
- Inform IT immediately if you think your computer may have been infected with a virus.