Just When You Thought You Were Safe...
Sun Review Jan. 15, 2000

Just like humans are susceptible to biological viruses, your computer can "catch a cold" too. The Internet has made it easier than ever for computer viruses to spread, and you stand a good chance of contracting a virus if you don't follow some simple guidelines to protect your computer.

Let's start at the beginning: What is a computer virus?
Viruses are not mysterious. A computer virus is a set of instructions (a program), deliberately created, that propagates and does unwanted things. Viruses can manifest themselves in many different ways. Some are harmless, while others can shut down entire networks of computers.

As early as the 1960s, researchers at AT&T's Bell Laboratories were staging late-night software battles with self-replicating programs, also known as worms or viruses. But viruses did not become a real threat until the early 80's. According to a leading anti-virus software manufacturer, there are now more than 13,000 different computer viruses, and there are 250 new ones each month.

How does a virus infection start?
Just like you can catch a cold from an infected person, your computer can contract a virus by coming into contact with an infected file. Common sources of virus infection are:

• Floppy disks and CDs - Before you stick that floppy or CD in your computer, ask yourself where it's been. Even your best friend might hand you a computer virus on that innocent-looking disk.
• The Internet - Watch what you download! Once you have downloaded a program and installed it, you can be infected. Just browsing the Internet does not mean you'll catch a virus: you must download AND install (or run) the program first.
• E-mail - You can't catch a virus from simply reading e-mail, but be wary of those attachments. Only executable files (such as .EXE or .COM) can contain a virus. So, if your e-mail program is set up to automatically open those attachments (for example, Microsoft Word files) you may be "executing" a virus automatically without knowing it.
• Networks: The very nature of networks (computers connected together) makes it easy for viruses to pass quickly from one computer to the next. Most networks have strict rules and measures in place to protect themselves. But sharing an infected file across a network might mean all users now find their computers infected with that pesky virus.

How do I know if my computer has a virus?
The most reported symptoms of a virus infection are:

• Programs take longer to load than normal
• Strange sounds or beeping noises emanate from your computer or keyboard
• Strange messages are displayed on screen
• Floppy drive or hard drive runs even though you are not using it
• Programs act erratically

But be warned: many viruses do nothing obvious except spread. That means you cannot rely on strange behaviour alone to spot a virus infection. The most reliable way to examine your computer for viruses is to use regularly updated anti-virus software.

What can I do to prevent virus infection?
Before you get really paranoid and worry that a nasty virus is going to wipe out your computer, you should know that the chances of catching a computer virus are really not that high. There are some simple steps you can take to avoid an infection. Yes, you can download free anti-virus software from places such as Download.com (www.download.com), but I recommend investing a little money and purchasing serious anti-virus protection such as Norton AntiVirus 2000 (www.symantec.com) or McAfee VirusScan (www.mcafee.com). Both manufacturers include free updates with the purchase price of the original software, and with features such as built-in LiveUpdate, keeping your software current is almost effortless. Both products protect you while you're surfing the Internet or getting information from floppy disks, CDs, or a network, and can also automatically scan incoming attachments in the most popular email programs.

Follow these steps to prevent a virus infection:

1. Scan floppy disks and CDs before using them, no matter what the source. Just place the disk in your floppy or CD-ROM drive and have your virus scanner check the disk.

2. You will not catch a virus by simply browsing the Internet. But once you download AND install a file, you are putting your computer at risk. Download only from reliable websites. It's a good idea to set up a separate folder for all your downloads, and scan the contents of your Downloads folder before installing anything.

3. Be wary of emails from unfamiliar senders. Downloading a virus or opening an infected email attachment is easy when trusting unfamiliar sources. Remember, only an executable file can contain a virus. If you receive an attachment, scan it before you double-click on it or open it. Do not use any other program to automatically open attachments. Email attachments are the most common and fastest growing outlet for spreading viruses. Download and save attachments first. Have them scanned after they are saved, or have scanning activated during the downloading process.

4. Use the same rules on a network as for everything else - scan it before you open or install it!

5. And in general, always maintain backup copies of your important files (and make sure you stick to a regular back-up schedule). That way, if your computer does get infected and crash beyond repair, you will still have a copy of your precious files.

One other thing to know about viruses: many of the so-called virus warnings you receive via e-mail are actually hoaxes! You can find more information on the Computer Virus Myths website (www.kumite.com/myths)

Links to other Virus-related information:

About.com
antivirus.about.com

Virus Information Centre
www.virinfo.com/

F-Secure Computer Virus Info Center
www.datafellows.com/v-descs/

Network Associates
www.avertlabs.com

Back to Top

© 1999 Ingenius Webdesign