Protecting Your Computer from Virus: the Short List

1. Install one antivirus program and update it frequently. Many programs have a setting to update automatically. Either set your antivirus program settings to download and install updates automatically, or do it yourself once per week. Do not use more than one antivirus program on your computer. They may "duke it out" and interfere with each other. You can use more than one anti-spyware tool, however.
2. Windows hides known filename extensions by default. Make Windows show all filename extensions. Open My Computer. Click Tools, Folder Options, View. Uncheck the box in front of Hide File Extensions for Known File Types.
3. With filename extensions displayed, you can see suspicious attachments in e-mail for what they are. Microsoft has a list of these bad boys and what they do: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/829982.
4. In any case, do not open any attachment that arrives with e-mail until you have contacted the person who sent it and verified that she or he sent it intentionally. Save the attachment to your hard drive and run your antivirus program to scan the file before opening it.
5. Please, do not forward antivirus warnings to everyone in your address book. It floods the Internet with garbage messages, and warnings to tell everyone you know about some threat are usually bogus. Verify warnings for the hoaxes they probably are at www.vmyths.com or www.snopes.com. These two sites have well organized sites you can search.