There are many ways that your computer could get a computer virus over the internet with damaging consequences to the information stored on your hard disk or to the functioning of any program on your computer system.

• Attachments to Emails. While reading an email message won't give your computer a virus, any attachment to the email message could contain a virus. However, unless you open the attachment, your computer is safe from the virus.

• Files Downloaded from the Web. Like attachments, files downloaded from the Web can be infected with a virus. If you open any such file, you can get the virus. If you don't open the file your computer will not be infected. However simply visiting and viewing a website will not give you a virus.

There are 5 things that you can do to reduce the possibility of infecting your computer with a virus.

• Don't open attachments sent with junk email or emails from persons you do not know. Install the latest version of the anti-virus program and install all the latest upgrades which will scan for the latest viruses.

• Install an anti-virus program. This program will scan any file or attachment you get over the net for known viruses. The program will warn you if any virus is detected.

• If your anti-virus program has an automatic virus scanning feature, keep this feature activated just in case you forget to scan the virus.

• Educate yourself as to the latest viruses. There are many websites that keep a list of all old and new viruses.

• Always download files from well known established and trusted sites. Always know the source of any attachment and file.