Computer Virus Removal is an Important Part of Computer Maintenance

Computer viruses aren’t just a minor annoyance, a slight frustration as you go about your day. To fully appreciate the importance of virus removal as part of your overall maintenance program, you need to understand the risks your company may be exposed to as a result of unchecked computer infections.

The risks of unchecked computer viruses

Productivity.

Even a minor virus or piece of malware can seriously interfere with productivity within the office. Putting aside the direct impact of a virus slowing down systems, interfering with access to programs and services, and forcing downtime while IT fixes the problem, you face a serious problem with morale when employees constantly struggle with system infections. Virus removal as part of your maintenance program will keep everyone satisfied and productive.

Security.

Security failures can have any number of costly impacts on your company, far beyond the obvious downsides of having private records and information exposed. If clients and business partners don’t trust your security, they won’t work with you. If no one works with your company, you’ll lose far more than you’d ever spend on anti-virus maintenance.

Data.

In any modern workplace, data likely plays a critical role in day to day operations. A loss of data means a loss of work, a loss of reputation, a loss of clients. Keep viruses from wreaking havoc on your systems, and you protect against those losses.

Hardware.

Many viruses place extra strain upon your hardware, borrowing CPU cycles to various nefarious ends. Others use physical means to bypass security, placing even more strain on your system. As a result, unchecked viruses can run through the lifespan of hardware components at an accelerated rate.

Legal liability.

If you don’t take adequate measures to protect the data held on your systems, maintain uptime for customers, and generally protect against the disruptions and threats of computer viruses, it may increase your legal liability in the event something goes wrong. Leaked customer data, losses due to outtages, and other costs may fall on your shoulders if you’re found to be irresponsible in your virus removal strategy.

Ransom.

Perhaps the most dangerous form of virus in today’s digital ecosystem, ransomware infects machines, encrypts their contents, and forces your company to pay ransom to recover your system. A massive expenditure, interruption, and/or loss to no benefit whatsoever, companies should be extremely alert to the risks of ransomware.

 

Basics of virus removal

To help paint a clearer picture of what proper computer maintenance entails with regards to virus removal, let’s start with the basics of preventing, removing, and recovering from virus infections.

  • Identification. To remove a virus, you need to understand what it’s doing and how—and where it’s hiding.
  • Removal. Removal of a virus depends upon the nature of the virus. Some can be deleted directly and immediately, while others require an exhaustive process to root out every particle of the virus hidden away.
  • Recovery. Often, viruses alter and infect legitimate files on your system. Proper virus removal will remove those altered files as well, meaning you’ll need to replace lost data with new installations or backups.
  • Vaccination. Good virus removal includes steps to prevent a repeat infection. If you can identify how a system was infected, you can prevent against that avenue of attack in the future.

Parting thoughts

Computer viruses, like illnesses in humans, cost the least when we focus on prevention and early treatment. If a virus doesn’t seem like a big deal, that’s good news—that means you can handle it now, before it costs you big. Make virus removal a staple of your maintenance. It’s worth the investment.