Protection from viruses are becoming a necessity with the connection of your computer to the Internet or to a network. No longer can you be assured that the programs you downloaded from your network or from the Internet are free from viruses. You can even get a virus from an email.

If you don't already have an anti-virus program installed on your computer, get one immediately. 

Anti-Virus Programs (Update Weekly)

Updates to your anti-virus program should be done through the manufacturers website or through the program itself on a weekly basis. Your program will store the updates where they are needed. If you perform the updates manually, follow the manufacturer's instructions on where to place them.

Here are the top two Anti-Virus programs on the market today:

•  Norton AntiVirus (Recommended)

•  McAffee VirusScan

Backup Programs

A decision must be made on your part as to what you feel needs to be backed up. With most home computers, backing up just the data files - such as word processing documents, spreadsheets, databases, email correspondence, name and address listings, and anything else that you have created - should be fine. The reason behind this is that the non-data files of your software are already backed up on the original installation diskettes and/or CD-ROM's.

At the other end of the spectrum is a backup of everything on your hard drive. This can be done in two ways: 

Data File Backup Programs

•  Microsoft Backup - included in Windows 95/98/ME/2000/XP

•  BackUp MyPC -  by STOMP (Recommended)

Imaging Software (Faster & Easier Full Backups)

•  PowerQuest DriveImage - as mentioned above

  (Recommended)

•  Norton Ghost - as mentioned above

  For a basic backup strategy, see "Computer Info"

Power Supply Problems

Sags

Also know as brownouts, sags are short term decreases in voltage levels. This is the most common power problem.

Blackout

Total loss of utility power.

Spike

Also referred to as an impulse, a spike is and instantaneous, dramatic increase in voltage. Akin to the force of a tidal wave, a spike can enter electronic equipment and damage or completely destroy components.

Surge

A short term increase in voltage, typically lasting at least 1/120th of a second.

Noise

More technically referred to as Electro-Magnetic Interference (EMI) and Radio Frequency Interference (RFI), electrical noise disrupts the smooth sine wave one expects from utility power.

Typical areas where these problems can originate are:

•  Using a power outlet
•  Using a phone outlet (modem, fax, voice, ISDN, and DSL lines)
•  Using a cable modem (cable modem and TV cable)
•  Using a network connection (Cat5 and Thinnet)

How do you protect your electronic components from these problems? Invest in a Surge Suppressor and/or an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS). 

Don't use a Power Strip as a replacement for these devices. A Power Strip is a way of increasing the number of outlets you can use from one wall outlet. It has a fuse that protects against devices drawing too much current from the wall outlet and does not protect against power problems.

Basic level protection ($20- $60) (Home use)

Surge Suppressor that has:

• 6 foot power cord
• 6 or more outlets, preferably with spaced outlets  for using block transformers
• 200 Joule rating or better
• voltage clamping rating (or let-through voltage rating) of 300 volts or less
• phone line protection
• cable line protection (for those that have a cable modem)

Better protection ($100- $250) (Small office, Home office)

• UPS rated for your components 
• Surge Suppressor (for the extra outlets, include cable line protection for your cable modem)

Network protection ($250-$500) (Businesses)

• UPS for each Server
• Surge Suppressor for each workstation (include cable line protection for your cable modem)
• Network Protection Unit for each network cable

You can find Surge Suppressors and UPS's at your favorite computer store or online.

These are the two leading manufacturers in power conditioning and surge suppressing:

• APC (Recommended)
• TrippLite

Updating Hardware and Software

A regular schedule of updates should be maintained for your computer system. The manufacturer of your hardware and/or your software are constantly improving speed & reliability to maintain an edge over their competition. Take advantage of it. Call them and see what they can offer you - many times, for free.

Hardware and Software (every 4 months)

Software updates to your favorite programs are available at the manufacturer's website. The time frame for your updating depends on how you search for them. If you are going out to each manufacturers website, I recommend a schedule of every four months. If your program automatically checks for updates, then do it every time you use your program. Again, store any updates you get in a subfolder named Software Updates in your My Documents folder.

Malware / Spyware / Adware / Trojans

First, a few definitions of what these programs are and what they do to your computer...

Malware

MALicious softWARE, including viruses, worms, Trojans, Denial of Service and other such attacks. Sometimes referred to as rogue programs. A generic term increasingly being used to describe any form of malicious software; eg, viruses, trojan horses, malicious active content, etc.

Adware

Software that may have been installed on your computer by a remote site. Many free utilities that you download from the Internet will install hidden software that sends details of the websites you visit and other information from your computer (which can include your email address) to advertisers so they can target you with popup ads and spam. A program that displays banners while being run, or reports users habits or information to 3rd parties.

Spyware

A general term for a program that surreptitiously monitors your actions. While they are sometimes sinister, like a remote control program used by a hacker, software companies have been known to use spyware to gather data about customers. The practice is generally frowned upon. A technology that assists in gathering information about a person or organization without their knowledge. On the Internet, "spyware is programming that is put in someone's computer to secretly gather information about the user and relay it to advertisers or other interested parties." As such, spyware is cause for public concern about privacy on the Internet.

Trojans

A program that comes in secretly and quietly, but it carries a destructive payload. Once you become infected by the worm or virus that that Trojan carries into your computer, it can be very difficult to repair the damage. Trojans often carry programs that allow someone else to have total and complete access to your computer. Trojans usually come attached to another file, such as a .avi, or .exe, or even a .jpg. Many people do not see full file extensions, so what may appear as games.zip in reality could be games.zip.exe. Once the person opens up this file, the Trojan goes to work, many times destroying the computer's functional capabilities.

Protection

There are quite a few retail products on the market to protect you from these nuisances, but what I recommend are two very good programs that won't cost you a thing - unless you want to support them or upgrade to the 'professional' version of their software packages.

• Ad Aware - by Lavasoft Software
• SpyBot – Search & Destroy - by Safer Networking Ltd.
• Zone Alarm - by Zone Labs (an excellent Firewall)

The programs Ad Aware and SpyBot should be used together to clean and protect your system. Don't forget to keep these programs up to date! Zone Alarm should be used, in addition to the above, by those that have either a DSL or Cable internet connection (see "Computer Info").