Fighting off worms and other PC invaders

These definitions should be updated every time the computer is connected to the Internet. Make sure the antivirus software is set to scan every file as it comes in to your computer via e-mail, disks, even instant messaging. Also set such software to scan the entire hard drive for viruses at least three times a week, says Adam Kolawa, chairman of Parasoft, a company whose mission is to teach software companies to write more secure code.

Be especially careful of attachments in any format, such as Microsoft Word or Excel, capable of running scripts, says Mr. Kolawa. Set e-mail software to prompt you before opening attachments. And check e-mail programs to ensure that they don't "preview" messages - opening them automatically in small windows before you can eye the subject line.

To help thwart invading worms, say experts, you need to keep your computer's operating system current with patches, which rewrite sections of software to guard the key "kernel" code that controls the data on your hard drive. (In the process, they sometimes cause other features to fail, says Kolawa, but that's better than getting viruses.)

To keep hackers out of your machine, use a firewall. This can be simple software, such as McAfee or Zone Labs' ZoneAlarm, or a hardware device - such as a router, used for setting up a home network. Most firewalls can be customized to allow types of traffic that you wish to accept. After that, the antivirus software takes over the protection.

Turning off your computer or disconnecting from the Internet will minimize your exposure to viruses, hackers, and worms. DSL service requires you to connect before you surf; cable modems don't.

The best way to avoid viruses is to avoid questionable content. That includes places you might visit on the Web. If the knowledgeable relative you ask for help on all of this is your 12-year-old grandson, you might want to make sure he doesn't just fix up your computer so he can upgrade his music library on the Web. Music- and movie-sharing sites like Kazaa and Limewire, experts point out, have been known to harbor viruses.

Likewise, be wary of following Web links in an e-mail message unless you know the site to which they lead.

What should you do right now to protect your PC? The following 10 tips are recommended by Adam Kolawa, chief executive officer of Parasoft Corp., a Monrovia, Calif., firm that helps companies eliminate and prevent software errors.

Consult a computer retailer or the maker of an antivirus software product, such as Norton, for help in implementing these steps:

• Install a legal copy of an antivirus program, and keep it current through a subscription, so that it will recognize the latest "virus definitions."

• Set your computer's operating system to regularly download and update those virus definitions.

• Set Windows to automatically receive and install operating-system "patches" that can plug security holes in the software.

• Set antivirus software to scan all e-mail, Web pages, and instant-messaging traffic for viruses.

• Use the antivirus software to scan your hard drive for viruses at least three times a week.

• Don't open any attachments from any e-mail addresses you don't recognize.

• If you have high-speed Internet access, install a software firewall on your computer. (A hardware firewall is even better.)

• Never download anything from a website you don't know is reputable.

• Beware of e-mails that use Java or Active-X scripts (identified by moving, dancing, or interactive content).

• Clean out any "cookies" (which track your Web visits) from your browser.

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