Tips for Avoiding Viruses

Backup your Files

• Backup your data files on a regular basis. If a virus destroys your files, at least you can replace them with your back-up copy.

Email Attachments

• Because e-mail is one of the primary ways to exchange information, it is also a key method for spreading viruses. A basic plain text e-mail is unable to transmit most viruses but an attachment to an e-mail message is potentially dangerous.
• A file that contains only data will not carry a virus since a virus has to have some kind of executable code. Files ending with the extension .txt, .gif, .jpg, .mp3, .wav are common data files that would not have executable code. Files ending in .doc, .xls, .exe, and .html may have executable code and could carry a virus.
• Do not open any files attached to an email from an unknown, suspicious or untrustworthy source or if the subject line is questionable or unexpected.
• Do not open any files attached to an email unless you know what it is, even if it appears to come from a friend or colleague. Some viruses can replicate themselves and spread through email. If you are unsure, contact the sender to confirm that they intentionally sent the attachment to you
• When in doubt, always err on the side of caution and do not open, download, or execute any files or email attachments. If an email is suspect, delete it, do not forward or reply to them.

Sharing Programs

• If a friend or colleague gives you a disk with a program on it, ask them whether they know if the program is safe. Have they run the program themselves? Have they scanned it for viruses? Do they know anything about where they got the program?
• Unless you are absolutely sure that a file is safe, do not open it.