Spyware protection software can be very effective in reducing the risk but is only effective if it is correctly configured and is regularly updated with information on the latest viruses. The risk of infection can be further reduced by educating staff on safe practices.

Secure Computing's virus blocker technology delivers in-depth virus prevention/virus protection against viral attacks of all types, including zero-day attacks, by taking a multi-layered approach to ensure that every possible attack vector is covered. In addition, Secure Computing's unrivalled virus prevention/virus protection technology is fast, due to the innovative Anti-virus PreScan™ technology.

Secure Computing's Secure Web (Webwasher), which protects your computer against web-based threats, also forms another layer of virus prevention/virus protection. Because viruses are often embedded in rogue web sites and disseminated by drive-by downloads,
Secure Web's (Webwasher) ability to categorize web sites and selectively block them will also prevent access to web sites that are most likely to contain this type of malware. With this type of virus prevention/virus protection strategy, the virus never even has a chance to attack, because the web site where it is hidden is never accessed.

Prevention Tips

ntivirus software is only one component of a good security posture. Understand risky behaviors and adopt good habits that will minimize your risk of infection.

	Don't use Internet Explorer as your main browser. I am not bashing Microsoft or Internet Explorer particularly and something should be made clear: It is not necessarily that other browsers are programmed so much better but that 80% of people surfing the Internet are using Internet Explorer. Thus thieves interested in gaining access to the maximum amount of victims are going to spend most of their efforts exploiting the security holes of the browser that 80% of the people are using.
	Put a firewall between your internal network and the Internet. A firewall's job is to keep out those billions of people who can be at your doorstep instantaneously. It will only allow those you invite to knock on your computer's door.
	Use a Firewall on each individual computer. The network firewall mentioned above is a big step toward protecting the internal network.
	Update your operating system and browsers. Security holes are constantly found in all operating systems and all browsers. Software updates patch these holes
	Update your anti-virus software regularly. Over 500 viruses are discovered each month, so you'll want to be protected. These updates should be at the least the products virus signature files. You may also need to update the product's scanning engine as well.
	Back up your files on a regular basis. If a virus destroys your files, at least you can replace them with your back-up copy. You should store your backup copy in a separate location from your work files, one that is preferably not on your computer.

Computer viruses are most easily spread by attachments in e-mail messages or by instant messaging messages. Therefore, you must never open an e-mail attachment unless you know who sent the message or unless you are expecting the e-mail attachment. Computer viruses can be disguised as attachments of funny images, greeting cards, or audio and video files. Computer viruses also spread by using downloads on the Internet. Computer viruses can be hidden in pirated software or in other files or programs that you may download.

How to remove a computer virus

Even for an expert, removing a computer virus can be a difficult task without the help of computer virus removal tools. Some computer viruses and other unwanted software, such as spyware, even reinstall themselves after the viruses have been detected and removed. Fortunately, by updating the computer and by using antivirus tools, you can help permanently remove unwanted software.

Remove a computer virus, follow these steps:

Install the latest updates from Microsoft Update on the computer

Update the antivirus software on the computer. Then, perform a thorough scan of the computer by using the antivirus software.

Download, install, and then run the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool to remove existing viruses on the computer. To download the Malicious Software Removal Tool, visit the following Microsoft Web site: