Prevention
When using your computer, especially when you browse the internet, keep in mind that no antivirus system can completely eliminate the risk of detections and remote attacks. To provide maximum protection and convenience, you must use your antivirus solution correctly and adhere to several useful rules:
Update regularly
According to statistics from ESET LiveGrid®, thousands of new, unique infiltrations are created each day to bypass existing security measures and profit their authors—all at the expense of other users. The specialists at the ESET Virus Lab analyze these threats daily, and prepare and release updates to continually improve protection levels for our users. To ensure the maximum effectiveness, updates must be configured properly on your system. For more information on how to configure updates, see Update setup.
Download security patches
Malicious software authors often exploit system vulnerabilities to increase the effectiveness of spreading malicious code. With this in mind, software companies watch closely for any vulnerabilities in their applications and release security updates to eliminate potential threats regularly. It is essential to download these security updates as they are released. Microsoft Windows and web browsers, such as Microsoft Edge, are two examples for which security updates are released on a regular schedule.
Back up important data
Malware writers usually do not care about users' needs, and malicious program activity often leads to a total operating system malfunction and the loss of important data. It is essential to regularly back up your data to an external source, such as a DVD or external hard drive. This will make it far easier and faster to recover your data in the event of a system failure.
Regularly scan your computer for viruses
The detection of known and unknown viruses, worms, trojans and rootkits is handled by the real-time file system protection module. Every time you access or open a file, it is scanned for malware activity. We recommend that you run a full computer scan at least once a month because malware signatures may vary and the detection engine updates itself daily.
Follow basic security rules
The most useful and effective rule of all is always be cautious. Today, many infiltrations require user intervention to be executed and distributed. If you are mindful when opening new files, you will save considerable time and effort that could be spent cleaning infiltrations. Here are some useful guidelines:
- Do not visit suspicious websites with multiple pop-ups and flashing advertisements.
- Be careful when installing freeware programs, codec packs, etc. Only use safe programs and only visit safe internet websites.
- Be cautious when opening email attachments, specifically those from mass-mailed messages and messages from unknown senders.
- Do not use an Administrator account for everyday work on your computer.