Viruses

Viruses and worms are online “infections” that can enter your computer by attaching themselves to emails or other downloads.  Viruses and worms will slow down your computer system’s performance and reduce productivity.  At their worst, viruses and worms can enable hackers to steal valuable corporate, customer or employee information, increase Spam, delete files or crash your entire computer system.

Prevention. Luckily, viruses and worms are some of the most preventable threats that your company will face. Employing the following tools and behaviors can help mitigate the risk that viruses and worms pose to your company:

Automatically Update Virus Protection.  Anti-virus and anti-spyware software is commercially available and easy to use.  A one-time installation and the selection of the automatic update option will allow you be protected from worms and viruses on an ongoing basis even as new types of attacks arise.

Don't Open Unsolicited Email Messages. Email scams like phishing are among common schemes criminals use to steal from your network. Use email filters to block these emails and be leery of any messages that ask you to provide personal information, even if they appear to come from a bank or company you've dealt with.  Don’t respond

Surf carefully. Just as you don't wander into dangerous neighborhoods in the real world, you need to be careful where you surf online. Disreputable sites can be loaded with spyware and viruses intended to crash your computer and steal personal information.   Web filters are also available to monitor and regulate the Internet surfing of your employees.

For additional information on viruses and worms, the NCSA has a wealth of information in its online threats section.