There are few more dreaded words for an IT department than "I think my computer has a virus." For those of us who specialize in technology, a computer virus is a nasty but often inevitable business. But, just what is a computer virus and how do you avoid getting infected? Find out now.
What is a computer virus?
A computer virus is a type of malicious code or program written to alter the way a computer operates and is designed to spread from one computer to another. A virus can remain dormant on your computer without showing any major signs or symptoms. However, the virus can infect other computers on the same network. Viruses often steal passwords or data, log keystrokes, corrupt files, spam email contacts and even take full control of your machine. Computers are not the only systems vulnerable to viruses. Smartphones have been known to be infected when downloading malicious apps.
How to Avoid Computer Viruses
To avoid contact with a virus, it is important to exercise caution when surfing the web, downloading files and opening links or attachments. For even more protection, it is recommended that you run an anti-virus program, which will continually perform sweeps looking for known virus files and warn of websites that have been known for distributing files with viruses. Making sure all your software is continuously up to date is most important, as new viruses are being made daily, hoping you haven’t updated your current software.
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