When talking about computer virus protection, anti-virus software, and firewalls, it is important to stress that no virus protection system is foolproof. Even top security computer systems have been infiltrated time and again by hackers and computer criminals simply by programming a virus. Files have been deleted, accounts and identities have been stolen, and confidential files have been accessed by these hackers. This is not to say that anti-virus softwares are useless, but to point out that these programs work and perform better with the users’ assistance.
Computer viruses are programs that reproduce themselves and infect files and disks. They are spread and transmitted whenever files, disks, or programs are exchanged. Email attachments from known people, like your friends, professors, colleagues, or even your boss, can be virus-laden. The senders themselves may not even be aware that they’re sending you a virus. Computer virus protection, anti-virus software, and firewalls are developed to help you identify the viruses, the infected part of your system, and the process by which the virus can be contained. But as pointed out before, they need your...