•Be very cautious about what you download from the Internet, it is best to only download from a trusted source. File sharing websites are one of the most common ways of catching viruses. Even if you don’t use them if you have children they might be with out you knowing. (Limewire and Torrents are an absolute No No!)
•Don’t open any attachments in an email unless you are expecting them or they are from people you know. One of the most common virus attachments recently have been thing like a missed parcel delivery from a courier.
•Be cautious of phishing emails – most people are aware of the fake emails pretending to be from your bank but recently scam emails have started looking a lot more genuine. Recently I have seen a lot of fake emails pretending to be from HMRC. If you receive any email that doesn’t look genuine – delete it strait away and don’t click any website links within the email.
•Make sure sure you keep Windows up-to-date – virus creators prey on weaknesses and loopholes they find withing the Windows Operating System, when Microsoft become aware of these loop holes they release patches in the form of Windows updates.
•Install reliable anti virus software. Anti virus software runs constantly in the background and checks files for viruses as you open them. Having good anti virus software is the most important step to keeping your computer clean from viruses. The best anti virus software will automatically update itself in the background while you’re working so you don’t have to worry about doing updates your self.
•Backup your files on a regular basis. If a virus destroys your files, at least you can restore them with your backup copy, it is also best practice to back them up off your computer to an external hard drive, memory stick or burn them to disc.
•Delete chain emails and junk email.It is best not to forward or reply to them, chain and junk emails often contain viruses, don’t open any web links from the email as these often go to infected website.