Virus Protection Tips:

1. INSTALL anti-virus software on your computer and keep the virus definitions up-to-date.  Hundreds of viruses are discovered monthly, and your software is only as good as the most up-to-date definitions!
2. SET UP your anti-virus software to boot automatically when you start up your computer.
3. MAINTAIN your anti-virus software by keeping it up-to-date.
4. KEEP your anti-virus software running at all times.
5. NEVER automatically open attachments in your email.  Let your anti-virus software scan them first. Most anti-software settings can be setup to scan incoming files automatically.
6. USE CAUTION when downloading files that contain an .exe in the file.  Save downloads in one place, and then scan each program before running it.
7. DELETE chain emails, and junk mail.  These are commonly unsolicited, intrusive mail that may have been passed through unknown sources.
8. TURN OFF your computer when you are not using it.  Broadband connection which are "always connected" to the Internet, provide an unlimited time for hackers to potentially do damage to your computer.
9. BACK UP your important files to an external storage drive on a regular basis.
10. USE COMMON SENSE! If you are unsure about where an attachment came from, are unfamiliar with an email that's in your Inbox, or cannot verify the origin of a file, then delete it.  It's better to error on the side of caution.