HOW TO KEEP YOUR COMPUTER FREE OF VIRUS, TROJANS, & MALWARE!
Never open unsolicited emails from unknown senders. Emails from people you don't know may contain links, attachments or other traps that can get you to inadvertently install Trojans.
Avoid opening up email from someone you know with attachments or links unless you know for a fact they sent it. It is very common and easy to send email looking like anyone!
Turn off the Reading Pane in Outlook, if you viewed the email in the Reading Pane you have opened it. You could get infected from HTML email. Any email that has graphics and looks like web site is easy to link to the outside and could have JAVA or FLASH exploits in it. The reading Pane is actually Internet Explorer.
Avoid downloading and installing programs unless you fully trust the publisher. Some websites attempt to trick users into downloading programs that they claim will perform useful tasks, when in reality installation will only infect your computer. If you did not go looking for it, Its probably something bad. Pop up's sometimes will tell you that you need this to help you do something. They sound convincing, JUST SAY NO!
Avoid using Microsoft Internet Explorer as it a security nightmare, you can go to the wrong website and get infected quickly using it. Use Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox.
Google Chrome Browser (safest, sandboxes most bad things such as Flash Player hacks)
Mozilla FireFox (also good but Chrome is better)
Internet Explorer all Versions (hooked directly into windows giving the bad guys direct access to your computer)
Pay attention to your Antivirus status, in the case of Microsoft Security Essentials it should show as a Green house with a white check in the lower right of the screen near the time. If it is not there or is red or orange you should open it up and address the problem. If not there, reboot the pc to fix it. YOU DO NOT WANT TO OPERATE WITHOUT PROTECTION!
Make sure your local Windows Firewall is enabled and working properly, you will normally get a windows warning if disabled!
Attachments and downloaded programs files can cause problems. Some viruses disguise the fact that they are programs by using a double extension, such as, TXT.VBS, after their filename. At first glance a file like LOVER-LETTER-FOR-YOU.TXT.VBS or ANNAKOURNIKOVA.JPG.VBS looks like a harmless text file or a graphic.
Other file types that could be attachments and are dangerous include EXE, COM, PIF, SCR, VBS, SHS, CHM, and BAT file types. It is unlikely that you will ever need to receive files of these types from the outside world.
The IM messenger programs from Yahoo, MSN, AOL and others are also a vector for infections. Best not to use them!
Online computer games is another common source for Infections, They are a honey pot to some people and manage to quickly infect you when run. There are some sites that are clean and safe, POGO.com from EA Games is a safe one.
PDF files are now potentially a risk, the bad guys can put script code that Adobe Reader will run and infect you. It is best to run a safe PDF reader that has no ability to run scripts. Currently we recommend "Foxit Reader" from www.foxitsoftware.com and it is free. When installing make sure to select the safe option.
In a business, do not install any application without permission. Downloaded applications can and often have infections in them. Even applications that should be safe can be infected if downloaded from the wrong site. GET PERMISSION FIRST!
Run CCleaner and Malwarebytes on a weekly basis. CCleaner will dump the temp files (Trojan parts hide there), Malwarebytes will scan the PC for possible Trojan infections starting to form, on each scan make sure to update before scanning. Both can be found at www.download.com. CCleaner is free. Malwarebytes can be used free as a tool or the paid version runs in the background.