You Have a Computer Virus, Now What?

Even if you carefully avoid questionable links and files, and update your software regularly, it is possible to end up with a computer virus. If this happens, don't panic—chances are you can have your computer running perfectly again in no time. However, it will take some work, attention to detail, and planning to save your files and prevent the virus from spreading.

Preventing the Spread

Your main concern upon learning that you have a computer virus should be preventing it from spreading further. First, you should disconnect your computer from the Internet—preferably by physically unplugging the connection. Whether you have a cable, satellite, DSL, or phone line connection, the process is more or less the same.

Most computers will use either a phone line or an ethernet cable to connect to the Internet. You can safely unplug this with no ill effects (other than eliminating your ability to connect to the Internet, of course).

If your computer uses a wireless connection, the same applies, but you must unplug your wireless router instead of any physical connection to your computer.

If you connect your computer to other computers in your home using a local area network, you should turn this off as well, as a virus can use this to copy itself between your computers.

In addition, you should make sure that the virus has not hijacked any of your programs. Many viruses spread by sending e-mails or other messages from infected computers, using addresses from the user's address book. If you find a mass mail in your sent folder that you do not remember sending, send another mass mail warning the recipients that the first message may contain a virus.

Now that the virus is isolated, you should attempt to remove it as quickly as possible, before it damages any of your files.

Removing the Virus

Most up-to-date commercial virus scanning and removing software can fix any computer virus problem that you have. Though  they vary slightly, generally speaking an anti-virus program will open, ask a few questions, and then scan your computer for viruses without any further input from you. Upon detecting a problem, the program will ask your permission to delete it. Running an anti-virus program takes no great computer expertise, and you should definitely acquire such a program if you do not already have one.

There are also many free anti-virus programs available for download. However, using one of these without researching it first is a bad idea. Like any free program, there is a danger that a free anti-virus program will contain spyware or even viruses of its own. Before downloading or running such a program, you should perform an Internet search for reviews and complaints to verify that the program is safe to use.

Improving Security

Though your immediate virus problems are over, there is still one remaining problem. Your security was unable to prevent a viral infection, which means you could get another virus in the future. You should go over all of your computer safety habits to make sure you do not get a computer virus again in the future.