Prevention? Prevention with a Question Mark? There is little doubt we can not totally "prevent" viruses and security issues from happening. We know that new viruses which emerge, can't be prevented until a fix is found, then downloaded into your virus scanner and run. At that point, we are again protected. "Virus fighting" is a "band aid" more than prevention. For that reason, we should probably call this page "First Aid." On the issue of common computer housekeeping- These tips will keep your system fairly safe and tuned up: There are some things you should always do with computers. ALWAYS BACK UP FILES. Don't assume your hard drive will be there the next time you need it. You may want to stay away from Microsoft software when thinking about online activities. Although there are many pluses to MS, it seems to be the company that has most of the online attacks and for various reasons. Because of that you might want to think of software other than MS. Opera has a browser that claims and seems to be, the fastest browser available. It takes a little more setup than MS Internet Explorer or Netscape, but it is faster and doesn't seem to have the security holes MS has. It has a mail program included that deals with email differently than the MS Outlook or Outlook Express packages, hence, safer. Forte Agent is a great program for reading newsgroups with a free one available for downloading. It has many options for setting up the program, in fact, maybe more than you need but you can decide that. There are alternatives to the "usual" internet software that have certain advantages over Microsoft and Netscape. When you back up files, preferably on floppies, zip disks, tapes, or writable CD's, make more that one copy for your important files and keep at leat one copy someplace other than your work station. Home security boxes make great places.  Choose a good anti-virus program as discussed in these web pages and set it so it will constantly monitor your activities, whether that be offline or "surfing," downloading, opening e-mail, etc. Usually, pictures are safe from virus but even that's not always true. Somes malicious code is passed around with a file extension of .shs or .shb (which are scrap files) which Windows doesn't show. If you have a file which appears as something.jpg in Windows Explorer but the actual file name is something.jpg.shs which is executeable and will probably be malicious. One safe way to check out new files of this kind is to Open them in your picture image viewer application whatever it may be. If they display normally as pictures,they're probably ok. As we have seen, it's a very good idea to have a firewall installed to make sure nothing is entering or leaving that shouldn't be. Even if your anti-virus program is set to monitor continually, it's a good idea to run the scan option of the program maybe once every two weeks or so. Normally, if there is a threat, it will alert you but you can never be too safe. Sign up for a virus newsletter, ideally from the same company that produces your software, with news and updates. Know if a virus rumor is real or a hoax. UPDATE YOU VIRUS PROGRAM! Weekly is not too often. Some like to do it daily but weekly, OR as soon as a new virus is announced, should be sufficient. NEVER OPEN e-mail attachments unless you scan them first or set your scanner to do it automatically. Even if you feel you have a secure system, don't do it without scanning. If you have the proper safety measures in place, if an e-mail is suspect, there should be given warning. Heed it! Generally, images like gifs and jpegs are safe but attached files from word processors, spreadsheets, databases, and the like can cause trouble. You might want to take a look at the info and test files at Sandbox Security. It's a good idea to have your e-mail program set to send and receive "plain text" rather than enriched or HTML files. Those can have hidden malware, programs that can cause trouble, lurking away. If someone really needs to send attachments, be sure they are as aware of anti-virus and security as you are. Remember, when you get e-mail, even after it's discarded, it is still sitting in your Deleted Items of the mail program. If you have discarded an attachment with a viral attachment, it's still sitting in a Deleted folder. Open that folder, click on the files and delete them for good. Usually, a right-mouse click will bring up a delete option. Run a registry cleaner to clean out those bits of information that accumulate in your registry file, a most important file for computer operations. EasyCleaner by Toni Arts is excellent. Be sure you have a Windows startup disk. You may have been given a disk along with your purchase of the computer. If you upgraded your system, you were given a choice to prepare a "start disk." If you are not sure, make another. Check with your operating system, Windows 95, 98, 2000, or ME or ask your HELP files. Usually, it can be found in the Control Panel - Add New Software. Look for a tab called Startup Disk. Make one. Write protect it and keep it safe. If you lose your hard drive to anything, including viruses, you may need to boot up with this Startup Disk. Tweak Central has some good info. A Prodigy site is also helpful. Defragment your hard drive at least monthly. Find it at Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Disk Defragmenter. It will clean up bits of programs scattered around your hard drive and make it more efficient and faster. Run your disk scan about once a month and have it check for any disk errors. It will automatically fix them if you check that box before you start. F-Prot has an anti-virus program for DOS that is freeware and can be downloaded, updated, and run in the DOS environment. This is helpful to have if you ever loose Windows but still can access DOS. In your internet browser, find how to clean out the cache or temporary files that are put there by web pages. Also, you may want to clean your history folders and set it to save a lesser number of days. Open Windows Explorer and find where your browser keeps cookies, or small files that web pages put there to help with the next visit. They are usually safe but tend to accumulate, slow down the system, and fill up the drive. Take a look at the dates they were last accessed and delete the old ones that haven't been used for months. Another source for "prevention" can be found at this Claymania site. Another resource can be found at the same site on "safe" computing which is worth the read. On the issue of security for Internet Explorer and Outlook Express- If you have followed the advice and procedures on this web site and others I have linked, you should have an anti-virus program installed and running. It should be set to monitor you files and your e-mail openings. You should have a firewall like Zone Alarm set and running. With these two safeguards in place, you are well protected. There are still a few things you can do with your internet browser, especially Internet Explorer and Outlook Express, two known targets, to boost your protection another level. Follow these short directions to increase security of Outlook Express: Specifically for Outlook Express 6... Go to Tools / Options / Security / Virus Protection...check Restricted Zone for highest level of protection as well as checking the boxes that say, "Warm me when other applications......." and "Do not allow attachments to be saved or opened that could potentially be a virus." For Outlook Express versions earlier than 6, Start Outlook Express Click on Tools and select Options. In that window, press the Security tab At the top, you will see "Security Zones." Click the one that says "Restricted." Also, to boost security of your browser by having it ignore Visual Basic, a tool that is used with viruses, take this precaution: Start Internet Explorer Click on Tools, Internet Options Click on the Security tab Click on the red icon labeled "Restricted Area" Press the Custom Level button. This brings up a window with settings Scroll down until you see the heading dealing with "Scripting." You will see an entry called Active Scripting-press Disable on IE 5 and 5.x. Newer versions of IE in the Version 6 range have several references to Active X. Disable them all or at the very least, "ask for a prompt" in accepting them. Press OK at the bottom Press OK in the Options window. One additional move can help you to protect yourself against accidentally opening e-mails with attachments. Normally, Outlook Express will open the mail by having it appear in a lower pane of the window. We will set it so it doesn't open unless you want it opened. Start Outlook Express Under the View option, open Layout See a reference to Preview Pane Be sure the button for "Show Preview Pane" is not checked.