Help for Cable customers

Viruses are computer infections that can damage your computer and destroy your documents. They generally come from the Internet via emails and email attachments, but can also be picked up from websites.

What should I do?

Follow our tips for protecting your computer:

Install anti-virus software on your computer and make sure you keep it activated. Virgin Media has its own security program: Virgin Media Security which includes anti-virus software called Anti-Malware. . This is free to Virgin Media broadband customers, so there is no need to pay for anti-virus software.

Keep your anti-virus software up to date. Virgin Media Security Anti-virus updates itself automatically by default, but if you have other anti-virus software it may not. Anti-virus software is completely ineffective at protecting your computer if it is not updated on a regular basis allowing it to recognise the latest threats in circulation on the Internet.

Install a firewall. You should keep your computer protected at all times with a firewall. For more information, check out our article: What is a firewall?

Install Microsoft updates and security fixes. If you use Windows 98, ME, 2000, XP, Vista or Windows 7, your PC could be at risk due to vulnerabilities in the Operating System. As a general rule the latest version of Windows will be the most secure, but staying updated with ‘patches’ will greatly minimise risks.

Ensure you have spam controls in place. Virgin Media automatically catches many viruses as part of its spam controls so they don't even arrive in your inbox.

Do not open files with double extensions. Some viruses try to hide themselves by giving themselves double file extensions, e.g. virusfile.pif.bat. Any emails that contain such files should be deleted immediately.

Disable Outlook preview pane. Some viruses can now be launched simply by viewing an email in your Outlook preview pane. The simplest way to reduce the risks of this happening is to disable the preview pane in Outlook Express using the following instructions:

• Select "View", then "Layout" from the menu.
• Uncheck the box "Show Preview Pane" in the Preview Pane section.
• Click "OK".

Do not run .exe files. If you receive a file that has .exe at the end of it then it is an executable file (a little program). Never run .exe files unless you were expecting the file and know what it contains. Always ensure that you scan any such file with your anti-virus software before attempting to run it.

What to do if you think you already have a virus:

• Run a virus scan with your anti-virus software. Use Virgin Media Security, which is free to Virgin Media broadband customers.
• Microsoft has made available a Malicious Software Removal Tool, which can be used to clean various viruses from computers running Windows 2000 and Windows XP.

Please note that Virgin Media does not accept any responsibility for external links, or any third party software you install on your computer. We recommend you Virgin Media Security, free to all Virgin Media broadband users.