Viruses & Hoax Viruses

Don't Open Attachments

One of the best ways to prevent virus infections is not to open attachments, especially when dangerous viruses are being actively circulated. Even if the email is from a known source, be careful. A few viruses take the mailing lists from an infected computer and send out new messages with its destructive payload attached. Always scan the attached files first for viruses.

Unless it's a file or an image you are expecting, delete it.

Stay Informed

As new viruses arise daily. Keep up-to-date on breaking viruses and solutions by visiting these links.

Get Protected

  • If you don't already have virus-protection software on your machine, you should. If you are a home or individual user, you should download the latest anti-virus software for your personal computer. If you're on a network, check with your network administrator first.
  • Scan your system regularly. If you're just loading anti-virus software for the first time, it's a good idea to let it scan your entire system. It's better to start with your personal computer (PC) clean and free of virus problems. Often the anti-virus program can be set to scan each time the computer is rebooted or on a periodic schedule. Some will scan in the background while you are connected to the Internet. Make it a regular habit to scan for viruses.
  • Update your anti-virus software. Now that you have virus protection software installed, make sure it is up to date. Some anti-virus protection programs have a feature that will automatically link to the Internet and add new virus detection code whenever the software vendor discovers a new threat.