Packard Bell F10 Tips to Avoid Viruses, Beware of e-mail attachments, Use a Personal Firewall

Packard Bell guarantees that your computer was 100% virus free at the time of purchase and does not cover damages due to viruses.

Tips to Avoid Viruses

Download from trusted Websites: If you download a file from a Website, make sure it is from a legitimate and reputable source. If you are uncertain, you can download the suspicious file on a removable disk and then scan it for viruses.

Beware of e-mail attachments:

•Do not open any attachment if you do not know the sender or are unsure about it. Even if the e-mail comes from a trusted source, always exercise extreme caution with file attachments.

•Save the attached files on your computer instead of opening them directly from your mailbox.

•Never download or execute a file attached to the e-mail. Always scan the files for viruses before opening them.

•Never open attachments with double file extensions (i.e. "picture.bmp.exe" or "list.txt.vbs" and containing file extensions such as ".vbs", ".shs", or ".pif"). These extensions are used by some programs, but rarely in documents attached to e-mail (if so, chances are that they host viruses).

•Do not trust the icons of the attached files. A familiar icon can in fact be a disguised malicious file (make sure you check the extension).

Delete junk e-mails: Do not forward any chain e-mail! If you are unsure about a virus warning contained in a chain e-mail, then check one of the many Websites posting updated information on hoaxes. Do not open attachments in unsolicited commercial e-mails, and do not click on hyperlinks contained in these advertisements.

Close the preview panel of your Inbox: This will prevent suspicious e-mails from displaying automatically. Some specific types of viruses ("worms") can be concealed in the text of an e-mail. This means they can infect your computer if they are automatically previewed.

Make regular backups: If you make regular copies of your personal files on CDs or DVDs and store them in a safe place, you won't lose any valuable data in the event that a destructive virus infects your computer.

Secure your Internet Connection

What is a Personal Firewall?

A personal firewall is a software program designed to prevent unauthorised access to or from a private network. It acts as a shield to protect your Internet connection from unwanted connections, some of which may attempt to take control of your computer to install or re-distribute viruses or malicious programs. Each connection to your computer is monitored - programs that attempt to receive information without your permission are detected and the firewall will display an alert. You can then decide if you will allow the connection, if the connection is to a program you are currently using then normally you would allow it (i.e. a game connecting to a multi-player server or an encyclopaedia making a content update).

Use a Personal Firewall

There are a wide variety of firewalls available, you can buy them from computer stores or download them from the Internet.

Prevent Spyware Infections

What is Spyware?

Spyware refers to generally unwanted programs that are downloaded onto your computer while connected to the Internet, often without you knowing it. Once it has infected your computer, it can snoop on your browsing activity, collect personal information, cause pop-up ads to appear, or even change the configuration of your computer. Spyware consumes resources on your computer; it can slow down your Internet connection or entire computer system, and even cause crashes.

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