The first step in protecting your computer is to ensure that your operating system (OS) is up-to-date. Secondly, you need to have anti-virus software installed on your system and updates frequently. Additionally, you want to make sure your anti-virus program has the capability to scan e-mail and files as they are downloaded from the Internet.

1. What is the difference between a Computer Virus, Worm and Trojan Horse?
   
   
2. What is a computer virus?
   
   
3. Why is my computer suddenly saying that they can't scan for virus either on incoming or outgoing? My virus protection is up to date and has not expired.
   
   

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1. What is the difference between a Computer Virus, Worm and Trojan Horse?
   
   

   The most common blunder people make when the topic of a computer virus arises is to refer to a worm or Trojan horse as a virus. Viruses, worms and Trojan Horses are all malicious programs that can cause damage to your computer, but there are differences among the three, and knowing those differences can help you to better protect your computer from their often damaging effects.

   Virus: A program or piece of code that is loaded onto your computer without your knowledge and runs against your wishes.

   Trojan Horse: A destructive program that masquerades as a benign application. Unlike viruses, Trojan horses do not replicate themselves

   Worm: A program or algorithm that replicates itself over a computer network and usually performs malicious actions.

   Blended Threat: Blended threats combine the characteristics of viruses, worms, Trojan Horses, and malicious code with server and Internet vulnerabilities.

   For a more detailed information see the following Article on Virus, Worm and Trojan Horse

   
   
   
   

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2. What is a computer virus?
   
   

   Computer viruses are small software programs that are designed to spread from one computer to another and to interfere with computer operation.

   A virus might corrupt or delete data on your computer, use your e-mail program to spread itself to other computers, or even erase everything on your hard disk.

   Viruses are often spread by attachments in e-mail messages or instant messaging messages. That is why it is essential that you never open e-mail attachments unless you know who it's from and you are expecting it.

   Viruses can be disguised as attachments of funny images, greeting cards, or audio and video files.

   Viruses also spread through downloads on the Internet. They can be hidden in illicit software or other files or programs you might download.

   To help avoid viruses, it's essential that you keep your computer current with the latest updates and antivirus tools, stay informed about recent threats, run your computer as a standard user (not as administrator), and that you follow a few basic rules when you surf the Internet, download files, and open attachments.

   Once a virus is on your computer, its type or the method it used to get there is not as important as removing it and preventing further infection.

   
   
   
   

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3. Why is my computer suddenly saying that they can't scan for virus either on incoming or outgoing? My virus protection is up to date and has not expired.
   
   Is email scanning turned on? Open Norton, select Options and let set the options to scan incoming and outgoing email messages. All Antivirus programs are set up similarly, and all will scan incoming and outgoing email.
   
   
   

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