1.    Email Attachments – the majority of viruses enter your computer through infected email attachments, so it is very important you NEVER open an email or an email attachment unless you are certain it is genuine and uninfected.  Make sure you have the anti-spam filters on your email account set high, as this will help prevent much of the potentially harmful unsolicited mail from reaching your inbox in the first place.

2.    Anti-Virus Software – you should not be using the Internet without up to date anti-virus software in place, even if you do not use the Internet very often.  Viruses and malware are everywhere online just looking for a weak spot to target, so it is important that you make sure your security is up to date and comprehensive.

3.    Banner Ads – most banner ads are legitimate, taking you to the genuine website that is being advertised, however a large amount of banner ads are actually utilised by hackers to trick you into clicking through to a fake website that contains hidden viruses, spyware and malware, so it is best to avoid them completely just to be on the safe side.

4.     USB Devices – be very careful when using someone else’s USB memory stick to transfer data to your system, as they may have picked up a viruses unknowingly, which will be transmitted to your system as soon as you click open the files.  Always scan every data device before you open any of the programs using a thorough anti-virus software program.

5.    Website Downloads – there are lots of software programs available to download online, from free registry scanners through to online games and screensavers, but these can be used by hackers to carry malicious programs onto your computer, so never download anything unless you are absolutely sure it is genuine and from a legitimate company.