What is a computer virus? Simply put, a computer virus is a program that can make your computer do things without your knowledge or permission. Some of them can email copies of themselves through your computer. They can also destroy data on your computer and in some cases even make your computer unusable. At the very least, all of them are pests.

The best way to protect your computer against a virus infection (and save a lot of money at the computer repair shop!) is to install and update a good antivirus program. Here are my suggestions for antivirus software:

Norton's Antivirus
Information for purchasing and updating Norton's Antivirus software.

McAfee Antivirus
Information for purchasing and updating McAfee Antivirus software.

AVG Antivirus
Information for obtaining and updating this free, yet powerful, antivirus software.

No matter which antivirus software you decide to use, you won't be protected for long if you do not update the "definitions" on a regular basis. Definitions are the data that the antivirus software uses to help it identify each new virus that may try to infect your computer. Each program has its own way of updating the virus definitions, but all are relatively simple to use. Just be sure to read the help file with your software to learn how to update it.