Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Things You’ll Need:
- Anitvirus sofware
- Internet connection
Step1
Purchase an antivirus program. There are a number of choices available, the most popular being Symantec Norton Antivirus, Kaspersky Antivirus and McAffe Antivirus. Purchase an antivirus with the real-time protection feature and in an up-to-date version. Buy your antivirus program from a reputable vendor or retailer. Otherwise you run the risk of purchasing a virus or trojan disguised as antivirus software.
Step2
Install the antivirus program. The installation process should be straightforward; the directions are usually presented by the installer on a series of screens. You'll need an Internet connection available when installing the software.
Step3
Update the antivirus program and download updated virus definitions. This should be automatic during the install process, but if for some reason it is not, do this manually.
Step4
Configure automatic updates. These updates should be performed automatically each week. If updates are not performed automatically and you forget to do them manually, new viruses will slip though. Every few weeks, check that the virus updates occur as expected. An ineffective virus protection program can be more dangerous than not having protection.
Step5
Enable the protection according to the specifications of your particular software. Once protection is enabled, all incoming and outgoing files and email messages will be scanned for viruses. If one is found, the transfer will be stopped and you will be notified of the problem.
Step6
Protect yourself by practicing responsible Internet usage. Though real-time protection will catch most viruses, new, mutating or polymorphic viruses may still get through. Responsible Internet usage is just another secure layer a virus has to pass through before it has a chance to infect your computer. Do not download anything from sites you don't know or whose integrity you can't verify. Don't open unexpected email attachments or email attachments from people you don't know. You should also scan all expected email attachments before opening them.
Step7
Schedule regular scans. Real-time protection is not perfect, if a virus is downloaded before an updated virus definition can detect it, the real-time protection won't catch it. Regular virus scans can catch viruses that slipped through the real-time protection.
