Malware

Viruses and spyware can attack your computer via the following means:

• Opening infected email attachments such as .exe files.
• Opening infected files from web-based digital file delivery companies (for example Hightail – formerly called YouSendIt, and Dropbox).
• Visiting corrupt websites.
• Via the internet, undetected by the user (worms are an example of this).
• Macros in application documents (word processing, spreadsheets etc)
• USB connected devices (e.g. memory sticks, external hard drives, MP3 players).
• CDs/DVDs.

Viruses and spyware can cause very serious consequences, such as identity theft; fraud; corruption of data, a slow or unusable computer.

Virus & Spyware Protection

Apart from installing security software and keeping it updated, there are other ways in which to keep your computer protected against viruses and spyware:

• Do not open any files attached to an email from an unknown, suspicious or untrustworthy source.
• Be careful with USB connected devices (e.g. memory sticks, external hard drives, MP3 players) as they are very common carriers of viruses.
• Do not open any files from web-based digital file delivery companies (e.g. YouSendIt, Dropbox) that have been uploaded from an unknown, suspicious or untrustworthy source.
• Buy only reputable software from reputable companies.
• When downloading free software, do so with extreme caution