Virus Removal - A Strategy To Prevent Virus/malware Infection

By Author: Scott McGeachie
Total Articles: 1
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I am aware that the process of scanning for viruses can be very time consuming. The procedure can take hours on large hard drives with lots of software installed, and it can seriously slow down the machine you’re using while it is running.

However virus and malware authors are clever folk and they are able to hide damaging code almost anywhere on your hard drive, or other media. It is often designed to be camouflaged as other software or even part of the operating system. As a result there is no alternative to identifying spyware, viruses, worms, trojans and other types of infections.

The only real way to ensure that you computer is virus free is to scan every single file. The approach I am about to show you, will automate the process, deep scanning your media thoroughly and requires little or no user involvement at all.

1. Firstly: Use an efficient, automatic real time virus scanner

All of the major antivirus/anti-malware scanners offer this. Real time scanning automatically blocks new virus infections by scanning the files that you download, or files that are changed and or created as you ...
... use your computer.

For example when you download an email attachment the real-time scanner automatically inspects it for malware. When you run a program, the scanner will verify that the executable (.exe) or other type of executable file isn’t infected with malicious code.

You have to be aware that real-time scanners generally will not check files that are not being modified; they only examine files that you are currently interacting with. This keeps the scanners drain on resources to a minimum.

2. Secondly: Schedule a daily automatic quick virus scan of your computer

The idea behind the quick scan of your computer is to just look at the most dangerous file types, which are generally system files (.exe, .dll, .com, etc) which have a greater chance of being infected with hostile code. As the scanner only looks at these types of files, the scan time is greatly reduced, compared to that of a deep scan of your computer.

The majority of virus scanners or security tools offer several options for scanning type, and scheduling. Generally a quick scan can take only a matter of minutes. It would be good practise to schedule these scans in the mornings, so as they would be finished before you are ready to use your computer.

3. Thirdly: Schedule weekly full virus scans

A full scan of your computer will examine every file on your hard drive, including file types that you wouldn’t normally suspect of being infected with malware. As a result a full scan can be a very time consuming thing to undertake, and you may be deterred from doing this, however it is the only way to ensure that your computer is free of infection.

It is a good idea to schedule these scans late at night so there is no impact on productivity at all.

4. Fourth: Verify your computer with a monthly standalone web based scan

It is also a good idea to run what is called a standalone scan if you believe that something might have been missed by the security package that you have installed.

These are web based applications that may be able to detect malware that might have been missed. Examples are Microsoft Safety Scanner, and Trend Micro’s House Call.

It is advisable to kick these scans off in the evening just after you finish work, so it has all evening/night to run and your computer will be back ready for use the following morning.

Taking these four steps should make the chances of infection minimal. If however you do get infected with a virus, and require an expert to assist in the virus removal, be sure to give Hotfix Computer Sydney.

Hotfix Computers provides same day on-site computer repairs and computer services, including virus and spyware removal in the following areas of Sydney – Sutherland Shire, St George, Bankstown, Strathfield, Liverpool, and Parramatta. Be sure to contact us through our website, or give us a call on 1300 498 543.

Bio -

Scott McGeachie - Computer technician at Hotfix Computers, a company who provides computer repairs and computer services including virus and spyware removal in Sydney. For more information visit : - www.hotfixcomputers.com.au