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What Is A Virus?
Subjects > Computers (Search)
What is a virus?
Simply put, a virus is a type of software that “infects” a computer. It’s
typically inserted into a program, and when that program is run, the
virus activates and attaches itself to other programs in your PC.
Viruses can be a simple prank; an annoying pop-up message or blue
screen, for instance. All too often a virus is a malicious attempt to
destroy data and programs. In the past the most common way to
spread a virus was via diskettes. Today viruses invariably spread
through the use of e-mail.
There are many kinds of viruses, but virtually all (there are one or two
exceptions) have a common element that you should remember: they
must be ‘run’ in some way in order to infect your computer.
Don’t Pull the Trigger
No matter how it is disguised, viruses invariably need to be triggered in
order to infect your systems. So if you receive an e-mail attachment
with a suspected virus don’t ‘pull the trigger’ by opening the message.
This will significantly reduce the likelihood of the virus being able to
infect your computer. If you suspect a virus delete the message
immediately. Remember that if you simply press ‘delete’ all you will do
is put the message in the deleted files folder. Hold down the shift key
while you press delete and the file will be permanently deleted.
Viruses can infect, destroy or damage your files immediately, or they
can lie dormant and launch on a specified date in the future. They can
affect single desktops, or spread to entire networks, servers and Web
sites. While many viruses are simply pranks others are more complex
and their effects can be devastating. Viruses can obliterate data,
corrupt programs, stall servers by flooding them with thousands of emails,
and in the case of the “I Love You” type of virus, replace files,
steal passwords and infect address books as they spread.
Protect Yourself
If you consider how much you and your organization depend on
computers, and the information they store, you will realize the crucial
importance of smart and safe computing. The importance of investing
in an antivirus program cannot be overstressed. Protect yourself, your
organization and your community... NOW
If the virus wipes out your data, the impact on your organization and
the people it serves can be extreme. In some cases the virus itself
may not be all that nasty, but the cost in time, often hours and days
while you disinfect your computer, can be substantial. Given the
uncertainty that surrounds being infected the safest option is to
assume the virus is one of the worst types and treat it accordingly,
even though this may take a great deal of time.
Webmail
While webmail providers such as Alberta.com, Hotmail.com and
Yahoo.com usually scan mail in advance you should still take every
precaution to protect your system.
Antivirus Golden Rules
Protect Yourself
Obtain an antivirus program such as Norton Antivirus or McAfee (Search for McAfee)
Antivirus. Make sure every computer in your organization is protected.
If you have very limited resources both these companies offer free trial
downloads that will protect you for 30 days.
Update your Definitions
Update the virus definitions regularly. You need access to the Internet
to do this (a dialup connection is fine). Some of the new programs
such as Norton 2002 automatically check for updates. With hundreds
of new or modified viruses being produced every month this is critical.
Weekly Virus Scans
Run a virus scan weekly. When you load your antivirus program it will
suggest you do this and offer to schedule it automatically. Accept the
offer and remember to leave your computers on at the time the scan is
scheduled.
Protect Outlook
Many viruses exploit loopholes in Outlook and Outlook Express.
Microsoft has free ‘patches’ that reduce this risk. Visit the Microsoft
web site and download the latest updates. The updates can be very
large and take more than an hour on a dial up connection. If you need
to, don’t hesitate to ask a colleague or a friend with a high speed
connection to download the files for you onto a CD and run the updates
from that.
Attachments
Avoid running attachments that come in your e-mail, even if they come
from your friends, relatives or colleagues. Many viruses are sent
automatically to everyone on that computer’s e-mail address list, so
you cannot assume that a note from a friend is safe, often it is quite
the opposite. If there is the slightest doubt about the credibility of a
message delete it immediately. Then send a note to the sender and
ask if they really did send you the file and ask for it to be resent with
an agreed remark in the subject line. That way you know the file is
legitimate. If you get an unexpected remark, or if the subject line is out
of character or very generic then treat it with suspicion.
While Antivirus software is excellent a virus can sneak in between the
time you last updated your definitions and your next update.
Backup Data
Make frequent backups of your critical files and keep them in a safe
place.
Don’t Procrastinate
Don’t delay, act immediately. If you are not sure what to do then get
help. A modest sum of money invested in two or three hours of
technical help will repay you tenfold, and probably sooner than you
think.
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What Are Computer Viruses
