What is a Virus? 

A virus is a small program that installs itself on your computer and copies itself over and over, usually to cause damage to the hosting computer or network

What harm can a computer virus cause?

Viruses continue to be a threat to the performance of your computer and should be taken seriously to avoid expensive repair costs.  Some will cause damage to your hard drive, wipe out files or cause performance issues with your computer.  Many times these viruses are stored undetected on your computer until the date it is set to release.

How can I avoid "catching" a virus?

As a subscriber to Efanz, every incoming message sent to you is scanned for known viruses before it reaches your inbox.  Also, to protect our customers from spreading a virus, Efanz also scans all outgoing messages.  With our 24-hour alert status, we are notified of any new versions as they are detected and preventive measures are put in place as soon as possible. 

However, to protect your base computer from viruses contracted outside of our network, we strongly encourage our subscribers to install an Anti-Virus Software such as Norton or McAfee on your base computer.  These programs act in support of the Efanz security system to offer a higher level of protection.

Don’t forget, if you use an anti-virus software, you must update your detection files on a consistent basis.  Set your software to automatically check for updates or set a schedule for checking manually.  As new viruses are identified, the software needs those descriptions added to your software in order to detect them.  It is a good habit to update your anti-virus software every 30 days.

Note:  No company or software program can guaranty 100% security against viruses.  As new, unknown viruses are released, it can take time to identify them and only minutes to spread.  Efanz is alerted as soon as new viruses are confirmed and immediately takes action to protect our network and our customers.