Complacency can lead to disaster. When there are no headlines in the paper or no news items on television about a new or old computer virus, it does not mean they have gone away. They are out there and can strike at anytime. You must have a virus scanner that is operating, especially when on the Internet and receiving e-mails. The scanner must also be kept up to date.

This does not mean the whole program must be replaced, but just those files that are used to recognize the viruses, just like a reference library. Every day new variations of viruses are discovered, and some producers of virus scanners update the "reference" files daily for downloading and updating your scanner. An update should be carried-out at least once a week. This as a rule will protect you from all known viruses, but there are new ones that can still sneak through.

The worst case scenario of a virus attack is where all your (personal) files are lost and with the computer having to be cleared and reloaded with all of your software. If you haven't backed up recently then you may lose all your e-mails and e-mail addresses of friends and contacts.

Scanners can be found on the Internet, to give you some peace of mind, and vary in price from some being free (usually limited versions for personal use), to as much as to $100 per year.