From purchasing to selling to paying bills, one really need not go out as any transaction could actually be made thru the computer thanks to the internet. Unless of course fresh air is also available online.

However, the computer's flexibility has also allowed it to be vulnerable to attack from one of the most potentially harmful entities around: the computer virus.

The instance you detect that the computer you own is infected with a virus, the following are helpful tasks that you could do to protect it further and to also avoid other personal computers to be affected as well.

Use disks from trusted sources

You do not allow your shoes to tread on any mud puddle or any dirty floor, or your shirts to be easily vulnerable to stains or dirt. Therefore, it is always best to treat your computer the same way.

As much as possible, always be careful with what kind of disks as well as files enter your computer. Either the files were downloaded from the internet or the disks borrowed from friends, it is always best to make sure where they come from or to scan them in order to avoid any potentially harmful viruses.

It is also not a good idea to download any files from internet sites that are unsafe or insecure. Also, do not immediately open attachments received via e-mail.

Take a good look on the subject of the email as well as where the email came from. Be wary even if the email was from your contacts.

Fortunately, there are now facilities in email services that immediately scan attachments prior to opening them. Email subjects that are vague and from senders that have gibberish email addresses must arouse your suspicion.

Included in this group are those emails that aggressively claim that you should "Check out this message!" or that you should "See the following pics!"

Acquire a program that fights viruses

Fortunately, there are a lot of anti-virus software programs that scan and eliminate viruses once they are detected. This allows anyone to safely and confidently share data and disks, the freedom to download any files from the internet as well as open any attachments received via e-mail.

When the virus hits

Fear not. As much as possible, relax. There is a way out of this predicament. All you have to do is to visit the web site of the manufacturer of your anti-virus software. They may have the latest software which, if it will not delete the harmful virus, could identify and detect it.

Search for a vaccine

The world wide web is available at your beck and call so you could search for any information you may need with regards to the particular virus that you want deleted.

By entering the virus name on the search engine, all information as well as vaccine may present itself.

Download, download, download

Be free to install as well as download any patches of software or programs that could help in eliminating the computer virus.

You could also try to religiously follow any of the instructions that you will find in order to manually delete the virus.

Do not rest on your laurels

Do not be easily convinced that once the computer virus has been deleted, the virus is now totally eliminated.

The best way to determine if the virus is completely destroyed is via running a virus scan. If the scan reports that no virus components have been detected, you can now relax.

Un-attach yourself from attachments

Caution must always be practiced once attachments have been received. The file extensions that one should be careful in opening are those that end in *.exe, *.doc, *.ppt or *.xls.

However, those that end in the following extensions such as: *.js, *.vbs should as much as possible never be opened.

All in all, every computer is vulnerable to be attacked. What one needs to protect your own PC is caution and preparedness to look towards the future and anticipate any potential attack prior to it happening. This ensures your computer to run as smoothly as it possibly could.