In order to apply a standard level of protection you are advised to ensure the following applications are loaded and running on your computer.
Install updates as they become available for the applications on your computer.
Vulnerabilities are frequently unearthed by software makers and the updates are then provided by the makers to patch these issues.
Most software titles have automatic update functions which automatically updates when you connect to the network. They are usually opt-in so you will need to tick the appropriate box to allow this to happen. See the software's help file for details.
Turn on your firewall.
Both Windows and MAC OS have firewalls.
Install Windows Defender.
For download use the link opposite. Vista and above have it preinstalled.
Install Anti Virus software.
Anti virus software is operating system specific so you will need to appropriate one for your computer.
Warning: There is an increase in bogus Anti-Virus programmes (Scareware).
There are many online scanners and site checks.
Use online Virus Scanners to run a quick check of your system, even if you have anti virus software installed it's always good to have a second opinion from an online scanner.
If you wish to check a web site to ensure neither it nor any associated downloads contain malicious software you can do with Web advisor.
You may receive chain emails, some of which will give information about viruses. Use the links to checks if it is a hoax.