How to protect your computer from spam and viruses
By: ROSS COONEY

f you don't have spam and virus protection installed on your computer, or you have no idea what "spam and virus protection" even means, it's time to protect your system now, before it's too late. Protecting your system is simple, and anyone can do it. Most people don't have a clue how to protect themselves so we have written this article to help you learn the basics.

Many people ask what is spam and virus protection? Spam is unsolicited email messages of a promotional nature. You know, the kind of advertisement junk that litters your inbox and the internet. Viruses are - like their biological counterparts - things that can get into your computer and make it "sick" (for example, erasing data or making your programs stop working) and can spread to other computers.

If you don't protect your computer against spam and viruses, you may face losing programs or files. Your computer may slow down and not work well. If you are on a network, the entire network can become clogged with spam, slowing it down or making it non-functional. Most frighteningly, your computer might even be damaged or destroyed!

It is very important to ensure you are protected is to get a basic antivirus program. There are many programs on the market, so the choice is up to you. Most are easy to use and install - more or less a matter of sticking in a disk and following the on-screen prompts. You could try Sophos.

A spam protection service we tried recently and liked is Rozmic. This service, which has a partnership with amazon, will take care of all of your needs so that you don't have to worry, since it is a fully hosted and managed system that deals with spam, email, viruses, and adware.

EmailCloud.com is a hosted email protection service. There are, of course, advantages and disadvantages to managed email services for the SME. We believe that utilizing a managed email service is one less thing you have to worry about, so convenience is a huge factor. In most cases, a managed email service will have more expensive equipment than an SME could afford, so an SME is getting a more reliable service that will provide better protection for their data.

The next thing you should probably set up is a firewall. A firewall is a security feature (imagine a tall, barbed-wire fence covered with fire - a good deterrent!) which will help keep nasty infections from your computer in the first place. When a site wants to open a dangerous connection to your computer, the firewall will prevent it or ask you whether it is acceptable. This will ensure no dangerous files slip in and cause damage before your antivirus can stop them.

Internet based Small Business Management Software from Data Works S...

DWS BackOffice is an internet based SaaS (Software as a Service) Small Business Management Application. There is no hardware to purchase, no downloads to fuss with, no implementation fees, no contracts, and no maintenance fees or upgrades to worry about. Small business owners don't have to back up data, apply patches, or maintain software. With hosting, maintenance, and data backup being taken care of by Data Works Solutions, customers can work worry free from any computer with a hig. . .

Return to our Online Business Articles Index