Most modern antivirus programs have the added abilities of scanning your computer's memory when you start up, and scanning all downloaded files as they come in from the Internet. For links to popular antivirus programs, see the bottom of this page. Also take a look at our Virus, Trojan Horse, and Worm FAQ . You can minimize the risk of getting a virus by using caution on the Internet. If you receive an attachment in e-mail from an untrusted source, don't open it.
Attachments are one of the more common ways viruses have been spreading lately.
You may want to run your virus scanner on that e-mail, or just delete it. In addition, be careful when you download files from the Internet. If you're not downloading from a trusted or well-known source, the files you receive may have viruses attached. Most software programs have bugs, some of which can open well-known security holes to allow users access to your account or computer. Luckily, most software companies release patches, or bug fixes, that can be easily installed to fix these security holes.