EMERGENCY PROCEDURE
Follow this procedure if you discover a virus or other malware on your computer.
N.B. Print this page out BEFORE you need it, and keep it handy!
1. DISCONNECT FROM THE INTERNET. Disconnect your Internet cable for a wired connection, or turn off your wireless router.
2. CALL A SECURITY PROFESSIONAL. Trying to fix it yourself may cause even more harm to your computer. This is NOT the time to try to learn how!
3. BACKUP IMPORTANT FILES. They may be corrupted but it is worth doing.
4. RUN AN ANTI-VIRUS SCAN. This is where your anti-virus software pays for itself many times over. If it can, it will completely remove the malware and report success to you.
5. IF STEP 4 DID NOT COMPLETELY CLEAN OFF THE MALWARE, you will have to RE-INSTALL YOUR OPERATING SYSTEM FROM THE ORIGINAL DVD. NOTE: THIS WILL DELETE ALL OF YOUR DATA FILES! This is the reason I insist that you backup regularly!
6. RE-INSTALL YOUR DATA FILES FROM YOUR MOST RECENT CLEAN BACKUP.
7. DISCUSS WITH YOUR SECURITY PROFESSIONAL HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF BETTER IN THE FUTURE.