Viruses, Worms, and Trojans, Oh My! : Scanning and Cleaning your System
Now that we know about the three main types of threats, collectively and commonly referred to as viruses, let's look at how to tell if you have them, how to get rid of them, and how to protect yourself against them.
SCANNING YOUR SYSTEM
I really hope you have Anti-Virus software installed on your computer. As I mentioned in my article on Minimum Software, there are many programs to choose from for scanning and removal of viruses.
The keys to using anti-virus software effectively are to keep it updated (either automatically or otherwise; at least once a week), and to run scans often (again, at least once a week).
NOTE: You should only run one Anti-virus program on your computer. If you have multiple programs that are running in the background, they will conflict and you will have one unhappy machine.
VIRUS REMOVAL AND PROTECTION
Your anti-virus software will offer real-time protection against viruses as they attack your system. You especially need to make sure that E-Mail protection is activated in your software. When a virus is detected, you will get a window telling you that that has happened. DON'T PANIC!!! You want your software to tell you that it found something. You only need to worry when weird things start happening, and you have no notice.
Sometimes new viruses appear that infect computers before the software companies have a chance to put out an update. If this happens, you can get removal tools that will target a specific virus. Symantec is generally the place to go for Removal Tools.
Again, the key here is that you actually have software installed, and that you keep it updated.
Now that your computer is clean, let's look at how to take responsibility and protect yourself.