Install anti-virus software on all of your desktops and servers, and ensure they are current. Update the anti-virus software at least daily. New viruses can spread across the world extremely quickly (within hours).
Anti-virus experts believe new worms are evidence of a growing trend of more and more malware spying on innocent home computer owners and poorly-protected businesses. "The simple fact is that organised criminals are more involved in virus-writing than ever before, and being more aggressive in their attempts to find new computers to infect and control," continued Graham Cluley. "If you attach a new, unpatched computer to the internet, unprotected by proper firewalls and up-to-date anti-virus software, then it can easily be under the control of hackers within 10 minutes."
For business users, consider running a filtering solution as well to protect your business from the threats of email-borne viruses and spam. Sophos Pure Message (www.sophos.com) and Clearswift's MimeSweeper for SMTP (www.clearswift.com) are two examples of software that will check email for both viruses and SPAM.
When reading email with attachments and downloading files – be careful. Do not open email attachments from someone you don't know. Be cautious about email attachments forwarded to you even if they're from someone you know. if in doubt, write or call the person who the mail purports to be from and ask them if they sent it before you open such mail. Some viruses fake the sending address. The message may appear to be from someone you know, but it really isn't. Don't pay attention to virus warnings or even forward them unless you subscribe to a serious virus newsletter. Download software only from websites that you know. One study by a security firm called TruSecure, showed that Forty-five percent of the executable files downloaded through Kazaa, contain malicious code similar to Trojan horses and viruses.
Be a cynic. If an offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is. For example, there is an email circulating that claims you can win a copy of the unpublished next book by JK Rowling, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince". The email claims that recipients can get a free copy of the book by clicking on a link, but the link instead takes you to a website offering advice on "free money-making secrets", with no mention of Harry Potter. If you get an email offering to let you share in million dollar profits for doing nothing, it's a scam (http://www.secretservice.gov/alert419.shtml). Do NOT give anyone your bank account number via email.
Keep your operating system and programs patched. Apply all security-related patches for your software as they become available. Microsoft's site windowsupdate.microsoft.com is a good site to use if you are running Windows.
Consider using alternative web browser and email software. Microsoft's Internet Explorer and Outlook Express programs have been known to be frequently targeted by malicious "programmers". Using an alternate browser or email client may prevent a virus or malware infection of your machine. Alternate Browsers are Mozilla/Firefox: http://www.mozilla.org, K-Meleon (based on Mozilla): http://kmeleon.sourceforge.net and Opera: http://www.opera.com . Opera and Mozillla offer an email client also. Other Alternate email programs The Bat!: http://www.ritlabs.com and Pegasus Mail: http://www.pmail.com
If you use an Instant Messenger program (like AOL or Yahoo), consider using Trillian (http://www.ceruleanstudios.com/). Trillian supports IRC, AOL, ICQ, MSN, and Yahoo. You can use Trillian to talk to people on all these services. The features from each service are retained, so you can search for buddies, set your status as available or unavailable, change your passwords, and so on, without having to leave the program. You can also change this program's look by downloading (or creating your own) skins.