No matter how diligent a web designer is, every system is susceptible to infection. Viruses are a pain. No one disagrees with that, but far too many computer users fail to do some of the simplest things to prevent them. Yes, there are plenty of complex strategies for warding off viruses and for dealing with them when they appear. But when it comes to shockingly easy steps you can take to stay virus-free, why not opt for a few tried-and-true techniques?

If you want to make sure your entire network, rather than just a single device, is in top shape, it’s also a good idea to use a log analyzer tool that can detect problems before they become evident. But for individual, at-home computer use, a simple virus prevention strategy works well. The following concepts have been around for a long time, but continue to deliver fast, effective solutions for the common cold of the tech universe, computer viruses.

Make Install Update Warnings Visible

Most users know that they need to install updates in order to keep security patches and other helpful security features up to date. Good web design can let users know, loud and clear, when a new update is available and waiting to be green-lighted for installation. Most systems have a default feature that displays a small dialog box with wording to the effect, “Updates available.” Users need more than that and it’s possible to include page design features that detect whether updates are pending or not. If they are, alert the user via full-screen warning pages that can’t be ignored.

Include Features That Respond to Infections

The average computer user has a sixth sense about virus infections, and knows that when normal features stop working, there’s a high probability that a virus has attacked. Web designers can include page design tweaks that automatically shut down in the presence of a virus. For example, many common chat-bot functions go haywire when a virus is present. Make sure chat capability is not so robust that it ignores viral presence.

Design Built-In Alerts About Firewalls and Malware Systems

When users see loud and clear dialog box warnings that their favorite malware system of off or their firewall is down, they usually take action. Web design can offer clear, on-page warnings that tell users when their everyday defenses are “off” or “not activates.” Whatever wording you decide to use, make sure it takes up plenty of space and contains no ambiguous wording.

Warn About Link Clicking

When designing a page that contains interactive elements like chat screens and message apps, be sure to post an alert somewhere on the page warning about following outbound links. Users often see a message and click inside its box on a link. The best place to put a warning is above or next to the message box. Everyone knows not to click blind links within email messages, but too many users take no precautions when chatting via a web page. It’s even possible to place a scrolling warning within the chat box so users can see it without interruption.