Computer viruses are deadly. They often spread without any apparent contact and can be a nuisance, or even worse, fatal to your PC. Those who create these viruses, estimated at 10-15 new ones a day, are the electronic version of terrorists. Their aim is to inflict havoc and destruction on as many people as possible by disabling, stealing, damaging, or destroying computer and information resources. Frequently, they don’t have any specific target in mind, therefore nobody is safe. Should you access the internet, share files or your computer with others, or load anything from diskettes, CDs, or DVDs onto your computer, you are exposed to viruses.
Fortunately, there are good guys working just as hard as the hackers to develop cures for viruses as quickly as they send them off to cyberspace. And there are many things that you can do to prevent your computer from catching viruses in the first place.
Defining Viruses:
A virus is a little computer program that could replicate and spread itself from one computer to the other, with or without the help of the user. However, viruses typically do more than just be fruitful and multiply, that is bad enough in itself because it hogs system resources. Anything else viruses are programmed to do, from displaying annoying messages to destroying files, is called their payload. Frequently, they cannot deliver their payload until an unsuspecting user does something to make the virus execute its programmed function. This might be as straightforward as clicking on an innocent looking file attachment using the .exe (executable) extension.
Getting a Virus:
Most viruses are spread via email attachments because it’s the simplest means to do it. Although Macintosh, Unix, and Linux systems can catch viruses, hackers are particularly keen on exploiting the security weaknesses in anything Microsoft, particularly Microsoft Outlook and Outlook Express. Due to the popularity of the software, hackers get maximum bang for their buck, and they probably get some satisfaction from continually reminding Microsoft that being big doesn’t mean that you’re perfect.
Option 1: Anti-virus Software
Your first line of protection is to install anti-virus applications. To be extra safe, also install firewall software, which is now included in certain anti-virus packages. This software can scan all your drives for viruses and neutralize them. Here are some features to consider when assessing anti-virus applications.
– Compatibility with your operating system – Make sure the software works with your system, particularly if you are using an older operating system like Windows 98.
– Firewall software – If it’s not included, find out if it’s accessible. If you must, buy it from a different seller.
– Automatic background protection – This means that the software will constantly scan behind the scenes for infections and neutralize them as they appear. This provides some peace of mind.
– Automatic, frequent updates – Because new viruses appear every day, you’ll want regular updates. It is even better if they occur automatically once you connect to the net. If automatic updating isn’t included, you are going to have to check the seller’s website and download updates yourself. This is extremely important, since you won’t be protected from new viruses if your application is out of date.
– Disaster recovery – Software with a recovery utility that will help you get your system back to normal after a virus attack is always a better idea to have.
– ICSA certification – The International Computer Security Associatioin has standards for the detection levels of anti-virus applications. Ensure that your software has the ICSA certification.
– Technical assistance – it is a fantastic idea to select a package that offers free technical assistance, either online or through a toll-free telephone amount. If you’re ever felled by a virus, you might need it. Some anti-virus applications vendors are Symantec Corporation (Norton AntiVirus), McAfee Corporation (McAfee VirusScan), Trend Micro Inc. (PC-cillin), and Zone Labs Inc. (Zone Alarm Suite).
Option 2: The Virus Scan
In the event you receive a particularly juicy attachment that you’re dying to open, save it in your Windows desktop and run your anti-virus applications on it first. To try it, click once gently on the file on your desktop… do not actually open it… then right click and choose Scan with (Name of Anti-Virus Software) to activate a virus scan.
If it’s infected, your anti-virus application may neutralize it, or at least tell you the attachment is too dangerous to open. On the flip side, do not feel guilty if the extremely thought of saving a potentially damaging file anywhere on your own body is enough to quell your eagerness to open it and make you delete it immediately.
Option 3: Delete first, ask questions later.
When in doubt about the origin of an email, the very ideal thing to do is delete it without previewing or opening it. However, some viruses, like Klez, propagate by fishing in people’s address books and sending themselves from any contact they find to another random contact. It is possible to spread a virus just by having people in your address book, even in case you don’t actually email anything. They’ll receive it from somebody else on your address book, which really makes life confusing. Due to the proliferation of porn on the internet, e mail viruses often tempt victims by using sexual filenames, such as nudes.exe. Don’t fall for it.
Option 4: Beware of virus hoaxes
E-mails warning you about viruses are almost always hoaxes. You might be tempted to believe them because you typically receive them by well-meaning friends, who received them from friends, etc.. These e-mails themselves usually aren’t viruses, but some have actually fallen into the hands of hackers who loaded them with viruses and forwarded them merrily on their way to get a sick joke.
The proliferation of e-mails about virus hoaxes can become nearly as bad as a virus. Think about it, if you follow an email that tells you to forward it to everyone on your address book, and they THEY do it, and this goes on long enough, then you can bring the internet to its knees. Should you ever need to verify a virus warning, your anti-virus vendor might have a list of hoaxes on it website. It is in the business of providing the fixes, so it will know which viruses are real.
Option 5: Beware of filename extensions
The extension of a filename is the three characters that come after the dot. Windows now defaults to hiding filename extensions, but it isn’t a fantastic idea. Just having the ability to see a suspicious extension and deleting the file before opening it can save you from a virus disease.
To see filename extensions in all your directory listings, on the Windows XP desktop, click Start button | Control Panels | Folder Options | View Tab. Clear the check box for Hide extensions of known file types. Click on Apply | OK. System files will nevertheless be hidden, but you’ll be able to see extensions for all the documents you have to be concerned with. Viruses often live on files with these extensions – .vbs, .shs, .pif, .Ink – plus they’re almost never legitimately used for attachments.
Solution 6: Disable the .shs expansion
1 dangerous extension you can easily disable is .shs. Windows will not recognize it and will alert you before trying to open an .shs file. The extension is usually just used for”scrap object” files created in Word and Excell when you highlight text and drag it to the desktop for pasting into other documents. If that isn’t something you do, or you have Word and Excell 2000 or later, which enable you to have 12 items on the Clipboard, click on the Start button | Control Panel | Folder Options | File Types tab. Under Registered file types, scroll down and highlight the SHS extension. Click Publish | Yes | Apply | OK.
Option 7: Dealing with double extensions
After you turn on your extensions in Windows, then you’ll be able to detect viruses that piggy-back themselves onto innocent looking files with a double extension, for example happybirthday.doc.exe. NEVER trust a file with a double extension – it goes against Nature.
Solution 8: Beware of unknown .exe files
A virus is a program that should be executed to do its dirty work, so it might have an. exe extension. Unfortunately, this is precisely exactly the same extension used by legitimate program files. So, don’t worry if you find files named Word.exe or Excel.exe on your system – they’re your Microsoft software. Just do not EVER open any file with an. Exe extension if you don’t understand what the document’s purpose is.
Solution 9: Watch out for icons
Viruses in attachment files have been known to assume the shape of familiar looking icons of text or picture files, like the wolf in the hen house. Should you recieve an unexpected attachment, do not open it without first running it through your anti-virus applications.
Solution 10: Don’t download from public newgroups
What better place for a hacker to lurk and stick his virus than in the midst of a bunch? Sooner or later, somebody’s bound to download it and get the virus going. Don’t download files and programs from newsgroups or bulletin boards, or open attachments sent from strangers in chatrooms (“Let’s exchange pictures!”) Without first scanning with your anti-virus applications.
Solution 11: Avoid bootleg software
This may seem to be a no brainer, but sometimes that tiny price tag on a popular but expensive package can be too good to resist. Resist it! Likewise, be careful about accepting application software from others. You do not understand where it has been, and what might have started out as a perfectly clean package could have become infected during installation on someone else’s infected computer.
Solution 12: Protect macros in MS Word, Excel, and Powerpoint
A common type of virus uses macros. Macros are sets of stored commands that users can save as shortcuts to perform long functions in only a couple keystrokes. A macro virus may perform such mischief as changing file types from text files or spreadsheets into templates, locking up keyboards, and deleting documents. Word, Excel, and PowerPoint come with macro virus protection. To make sure yours is activated, open each application, then click Tools menu | Macro | Security. On the Security Level tab, make sure Medium or High is selected. Clcik OK. If you are already infected with a macro virus, you might find the steps of the procedure are unavailable becasue the virus has disabled them. In that event, run a virus scan on your system to determine whether your anti-virus applications can destroy the virus.
Solution 13: Use passwords
Should you share your computer, it’s a good idea to assign everyone a password. Passwords ought to be a combination of numbers and letters no less than eight characters long, and preferably nonsensical. Never write passwords and stick them anywhere near the computer. To assign passwords in Windows XP, click the Start button | Control Panel | User Accounts. Follow the prompts to assign/change passwords.
Solution 14: Update application software
Microsoft constantly issues patches for the security holes in its operating system and applications software. However, don’t be lulled into complacency if you have Windows Update automatically checking things for you. Update checks for patches to fix bugs in the operating system, not for security issues.
To find the latest security hotfixes (as Microsoft calls them), visit www.microsoft.com and look for hotfixes for all your Microsoft software, particularly Outlook and Outlook Express.
Microsoft also has a free downloadable package called Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer (MBSA) that scans your system for missing hotfixes. It works with Windows 2000 and XP Home and Professional only. It doesn’t support Windows 95, 98, or ME.
To download the MBSA, go to the TechNet section of the Microsoft Website. Be cautioned that the information is written in techie language, so you could find it daunting.
Final Words:
Now you know some ways for avoiding and dealing with viruses, let’s wrap things up with some solution you have probably heard before but have ignored.
– Back up your files regularly – If a virus crashes your sytem, you will feel far better if you have backup copies of your important files. Make the backup copies on a media that’s separate from your computer, like on diskettes, CDs, or zip disks. Scan them for viruses before you put them away to make sure they aren’t contaminated. If they’re, they’ll do you no good if you have to use them since they will just transmit the virus right back onto your PC.
– Create a boot disk – Create an emergency boot diskette before you have a problem so that you may begin your computer after a serious security problem To make a boot diskette with Windows XP, put a blank floppy disk in your drive. Open My Computer, then right click the floppy disk. Click on Format. Under Format options, click Create a MS-DOS startup disk. Click on Start. Keep the disk in a secure place. With luck, you will not ever need to utilize it.
– Turn off you computer – DSL and cable connections that are”always on” may be convenient, but you should always switch off your computer when its not being used. Hackers can’t get into a machine that’s powered off.
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