Dealing with Viruses & Other Malware

Statistics show that as many as 90% of unprotected computers will become infected with viruses or other malware.  This guide will show you how to remove these unwanted pests, and protect your computer in the future

Removal

1. Go to www.housecall.antivirus.com, and select 'Scan now'.  This free scanner will detect and remove any viruses on your system
2. Download Spybot Search & Destroy, as well as Adaware Personal Edition.  Install both programs, update them, and let them remove any malware they find.

Prevention

Now that your system has been cleansed of viruses & malware it's important to prevent further infections.  In this day and age, with the number of viruses, hackers, and spyware on the rise, no-one should be on the Internet without proper protection.  An antivirus program is essential to prevent viruses, malicious pieces of code which can damage your system, from affecting you.  A firewall will prevent hackers from compromising your system.  Anti-spyware programs will remove malware, which can do anything from displaying popups, to stealing your credit card details. 

There's no need, however, to spend large amounts of money on commercial protection tools.  These freeware tools will provide you with protection from the evils of the Internet.

Antivirus:
AVG Free Edition

Firewall:
Zone Alarm

Anti-Spyware:
Spybot Search & Destroy
Adaware Personal Edition

With any security products, it's important to have the latest updates, and I would recommend updating them at least weekly. The Anti-Spyware programs should also be run at least weekly, to ensure that no spyware is accumulating on your computer.

Another good anti-spyware program is Spyware Blaster.  This is different to the other programs in that it actively prevents infections.  While it is not free, the trial version can be used indefinitely.  For best results, this program should be run every time you access the Internet.  To avoid having to do this manually, you can drag the link to Spyware Blaster into the Startup folder in your Start Menu.  This will allow it to load every time you turn on your computer.  Simply click on 'Enable all protection', and then close Spyware Blaster.  It will protect you in the background.