How to protect your computer from spam and viruses
If you don't have spam and virus protection setup on your computer, or you have no idea what "spam and virus protection" even means, it's time to protect your system now, before it's too late. Protecting your system is simple, and anyone can do it. In this article, we present an overview of the key terms and then give you some tips on how to get your computer protected.
First, what is spam and virus protection? Spam is basically unwanted email and advertisements. You know, the kind of advertisement junk that litters your inbox and the internet. Viruses are - like their biological counterparts - things that can get into your computer and make it "sick" (for example, erasing data or making your programs stop working) and can spread to other computers.
Viruses can be very dangerous, destroying and changing data on computers, and like human viruses, they spread very quickly. Your computer may slow down and not work well. If you are on a network, the entire network can become clogged with spam, slowing it down or making it non-functional. Most frighteningly, your computer might even be damaged or destroyed!
It is very important to ensure you are protected is to get a basic antivirus program. There are many programs on the market, so the choice is up to you. Most are easy to use and install - more or less a matter of sticking in a disk and following the on-screen prompts. You could try McAfee.
A spam protection service we tried recently and liked is EmailCloud.com. This service, which has a partnership with amazon, will take care of all of your needs so that you don't have to worry, since it is a fully hosted and managed system that deals with spam, email, viruses, and adware.
EmailCloud.com is a fully managed email protection service. There are, of course, advantages and disadvantages to managed email services for the SME. We believe that utilizing a manages spam protection service is one less thing you have to worry about, so convenience is a huge factor. In most cases, a managed email service will have more expensive equipment than an SME could afford, so an SME is getting a more reliable service that will provide better protection for their data.
Last, but not least, you should setup a firewall. A firewall is a security feature (imagine a huge, barbed-wire fence covered with fire - a good deterrent!) which will help keep unsafe types of files off your computer in the first place. When a site wants to open a dangerous connection to your computer, the firewall will prevent it or ask you whether it is acceptable. This will ensure no dangerous files slip in and cause damage before your antivirus can stop them.
About the Author:
More articles by nospam@rozmic.com
Print Article | Download PDF | 153 views | Oct 24 2007
|
|
