Keep your computers at home and at work virus-free

If you own a computer, you are vulnerable to computer viruses.

"At one time, you had to open an infected e-mail to get a virus," observed Chartered Accountant Paul Doucet, president and director of Professional Services for EnabledSuccess Inc. in Ottawa and a CAdesignated information technology specialist (CA•IT). "These days, HTML e-mails are common and they connect to the Internet, so just receiving an e-mail can subject a computer to a virus."

The most important thing you can do to protect your computer from infection is to install anti-virus software. While most Internet service providers do offer some measure of defence against viruses, it's extremely important to install additional anti-virus protection.

"Home computer users should install an anti-virus program and continuously download security patches for their operating systems," commented Chartered Accountant Michael Burns, president of 180 Systems in Toronto and a CA•IT. "Business users should hire a security expert to make sure their systems are properly protected."

Once you install antivirus software, you must keep it up-to-date. "Viruses are developed quickly and can work around older versions of protection software," explained Doucet. "Most virus software companies make upgrades available on a very regular basis."

It's also important to install security patches as soon as they are available. "When security patches are released, they can contain information on security weaknesses," Burns said. "These weaknesses can then be exploited by hackers in systems that haven't been patched right away."

Installing a firewall and anti-spyware software is another a good idea. Also be sure to regularly back up your data on an external source, such as a CD, DVD or external hard drive. Don't open e-mail attachments from people you don't know, and don't download files from the Internet unless you are sure of their history.

There is no one sign that a virus has infected your computer and some are difficult to detect. "The most obvious indication would be damage to how programs operate or how files open," Doucet stated. "More subtle signs include a decrease in computer performance, such as slowing down or crashing."

If you think your computer has a virus, immediately back up your critical files and make sure your anti-virus software is up-to-date. "Running an anti-virus program should remove the virus," Burns added.

If you are concerned that your computer system is open to attack, talk to a chartered accountant.

"CAs are trained to evaluate risk and evaluating security needs is part of evaluating risk," Doucet said. "A CA can assess whether systems are in place to ensure your security needs are being met and make suggestions on how to address areas of weakness."

Brought to you by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario.