What Is A Virus And What Can You Do?
As consultants we are frequently asked the question: What is the best antivirus product? We usually explain being secure is not a product but a process with knowledge. With new viruses appearing daily it remains up to the end user to click on an infected attachment and unleash the potential virus on the PC or Network. While careful inspection of e-mail attachments goes a long way toward extinguishing Virus and Worm circulation, there’s always the need for quality, up-to-date antivirus software as your first line of defense, however finding that first line of defense maybe the hardest part.

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Look for antivirus software that features automatic downloading of updates. If you’re a corporate customer automatic distribution feature frees your administrator from the hassle of installing updates on networked clients and servers.

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Install a virus scanner directly on your company’s own Internet e-mail server, or on e-mail servers that connect to your ISP’s Internet gateway.

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Be sure the product is ICSA Certified.

So What Are Viruses, Worms And Trojan Horses?
Malicious code is any program that acts in surprisingly and potentially damaging way. Malicious code can change, delete, insert and transmit data inside and outside a business or PC. Some types of malicious code will even create a back door, allowing for outside entry into infected systems. Since nearly all modern malicious code is mobile it will use e-mail, instant messaging and peer-to-peer “file sharing” applications as transportation and reproduction. Malicious code can also infect your company through unsecured wireless access points.


Symantec Corp (symantec.com)
 - Symantec is the global leader in information security providing a broad range of software, appliances and services designed to help individuals, small and mid-sized businesses, and large enterprises secure and manage their IT infrastructure. Symantec's Norton brand of products is the worldwide leader in consumer security and problem-solving solutions. Headquartered in Cupertino, Calif., Symantec has operations in more than 35 countries.

McAfee Corp (mcafee.com)
 - With headquarters in Santa Clara, California, McAfee, Inc. creates best-of-breed computer security solutions that prevent intrusions on networks and protect computer systems from the next generation of blended attacks and threats. Offering two families of products, McAfee System Protection Solutions, securing desktops and servers, and McAfee Network Protection Solutions, ensuring the protection and performance of the corporate network, McAfee offers computer security to large enterprises, governments, small and medium businesses, and consumers.

Trend Micro Corp (trendmicro.com)
 - Trend Micro Incorporated is a global leader in network antivirus and Internet content security software and services. Founded in 1988 by Steve Chang, the company led the migration of virus protection from the desktop to the network server and the Internet gateway, gaining a reputation for vision and technological innovation along the way. Trend Micro focuses on outbreak prevention and providing customers with a comprehensive approach to managing the outbreak lifecycle and the impact of network worms and virus threats to productivity and information through initiatives such as Trend Micro™ Enterprise Protection Strategy.