Too often, the reaction is one of two extremes. Either the computer users ignore the chance of a virus, or they become overly concerned to the point of not wanting to use the computer for fear of contracting a virus.
Computer viruses are very real threats.
They can be simply annoying, requiring time to remove and clean up. On the opposite end of the spectrum, they can be very destructive, destroying data with little or no warning. Viruses are more prevalent today than ever, but so are tools and techniques to avoid them. To deal with viruses, a user needs to know a bit about them, practice a few good habits, run an effective anti-virus program, and know what to do if one does strike. The first sections focus on general virus information.