As the press reports that computer hackers are preparing one of the biggest attacks on the Internet ever attempted this Christmas, Mr Damian has all the latest news on how to protect your PC from being infected from Trojan and spyware programmes, as well as advice on what to do if you find your computer does have a virus.

Firstly, be sensible with the sites you visit, the emails you read and forward on, as well as those you reply to. In particular: 1. Gentlemen, material from those sites selling personal growth products, you know the ones we mean, don't work. And the sites are dodgy too. 2. No you didn't enter the Nigerian Lottery and simply forget where you put your ticket. You didn't enter. You haven't won. Get over it. Don't reply to the email. Idiot. 3. The sex/love/money fairy won't visit you if you forward this message to six friends.

Computers get ill too

If you are going to do such a thing, get a firewall, anti spyware program and up-to-date anti-virus services in place, these are usually free, and if you don't know what any of these things are you should take your computer back to the store and ask for your money back as you clearly don't deserve to have one.

Nor should you be allowed to procreate or vote, but we don't have much say on that one, so there you go.

And if you do get a new PC this festive season, remember a computer is for life, not just for Christmas, so do take good care of it.

Posted by damian at December 16, 2005 02:05 PM