Even the most cautious person can contract a computer virus. You may think that you are completely protected with your anti-virus program and your firewall running. But truth is, even with these devices, if you don't use a little common sense you are bound to end up with a virus. Here are a few things you should always consider.

Use an external hard drive to back up your important documents and files. Should the worst thing happen and you have to reformat your hard drive or purchase a new pc, by backing up your files you will still have access to the important documents you need.

Make sure you have anti-virus installed. Schedule it to run every day. Make sure it is set to scan your emails and files. And don't forget to update it regularly. An out of date anti virus program is of no use to you. There are plenty of free and paid anti virus programs out there. Head on over to download dot com and have a look.

When downloading programs or files from the internet, always scan before opening. Many malicious individuals will place viruses in a downloadable file and trick you into thinking it is something other than what it really is.

Install spyware protection. Again, you can find free and paid versions of these. I have used both, and right now the free program I am using, super anti sypware, is top notch. You do not want spyware on your PC. In the worst cases, the information you are typing, such as bank cards, passwords, financial information, is being sent back to a hacker who will use this information for their own gain. Your best protection is a firewall and a spyware protection program.

Use your spam filter. Whether you use a desktop email application or an online service like Hotmail or Gmail, make sure that your spam filter is set up. Spam is notorious for leading to dangerous web properties.

Scan all of your email attachments and pay attention to who sent it and the name of the file. Never open an EXE attachment. This is a virus waiting to happen.

When infected with a virus take the following steps. Disconnect the PC from the internet. Run you anti virus program to isolate and remove the virus if possible. Do not reconnect to the internet, even to search for help. Use a different PC to do that and take notes. If you can not resolve the problem then take your computer to a repair tech. They will resolve the issue... for a fee.

The worst thing that can happen is you reformat your hard drive which will leave you without all of your important files. Good thing you were smart and used that external hard drive, right?