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What is a computer virus?​

A computer virus is a program that spreads by first infecting files or the system areas of a computer or network router's hard drive and then making copies of itself. Some viruses are harmless, others may damage data files, and some may destroy files. Viruses used to be spread when people shared floppy disks and other portable media, now viruses are primarily spread through email messages.
Unlike worms, viruses often require some sort of user action (e.g., opening an email attachment or visiting a malicious web page) to spread.
 

What do computer viruses do?
 

A virus is simply a computer program--it can do anything that any other program you run on your computer can do. Some viruses are designed to deliberately damage files, and others may just spread to other computers.
 

What is a worm?
 

A worm is a type of virus that can spread without human interaction. Worms often spread from computer to computer and take up valuable memory and network bandwidth, which can cause a computer to stop responding. Worms can also allow attackers to gain access to your computer remotely.
 

What is a Trojan horse?
 

A Trojan horse is a computer program that is hiding a virus or other potentially damaging program. A Trojan horse can be a program that purports to do one action when, in fact, it is performing a malicious action on your computer. Trojan horses can be included in software that you download for free or as attachments in email messages.
 

Can I get a virus by reading my email messages?
 

Most viruses, Trojan horses, and worms are activated when you open an attachment or click a link contained in an email message. If your email client allows scripting, then it is possible to get a virus by simply opening a message. It's best to limit what HTML is available in your email messages. The safest way to view email messages is in plain text.
 

How can I avoid a virus infection from email?
 

Most users get viruses from opening and running unknown email attachments. Never open anything that is attached to an email message unless you know the contents of the file. If you receive an attachment from a familiar email address, but were not expecting anything, you should contact the sender before opening the attachment. If you receive a message with an attachment and you do not recognize the sender, you should delete the message.
Selecting the option to view your email messages in plain text, not HTML, will also help you to avoid a virus.
 

What are some tips to avoid viruses and lessen their impact?
 

Install anti-virus software from a reputable vendor. Update it and use it regularly.
In addition to scanning for viruses on a regular basis, install an "on access" scanner (included in most anti-virus software packages) and configure it to start each time you start up your computer. This will protect your system by checking for viruses each time you run an executable file.
Use a virus scan before you open any new programs or files that may contain executable code. This includes packaged software that you buy from the store as well as any program you might download from the internet.
If you are a member of an online community or chat room, be very careful about accepting files or clicking links that you find or that people send you within the community.
Make sure you back up your data (documents, bookmark files, important email messages, etc.) on disc so that in the event of a virus infection, you do not lose valuable work.



What does anti-virus software do?

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Although details may vary between packages, anti-virus software scans files or your computer's memory for certain patterns that may indicate an infection. The patterns it looks for are based on the signatures, or definitions, of known viruses. Virus authors are continually releasing new and updated viruses, so it is important that you have the latest definitions installed on your computer.
Once you have installed an anti-virus package, you should scan your entire computer periodically.
Automatic scans - Depending what software you choose, you may be able to configure it to automatically scan specific files or directories and prompt you at set intervals to perform complete scans.
Manual scans - It is also a good idea to manually scan files you receive from an outside source before opening them. This includes
saving and scanning email attachments or web downloads rather than selecting the option to open them directly from the source
scanning media, including CDs and DVDs, for viruses before opening any of the files
 

What happens if the software finds a virus?

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Each package has its own method of response when it locates a virus, and the response may differ according to whether the software locates the virus during an automatic or a manual scan. Sometimes the software will produce a dialog box alerting you that it has found a virus and asking whether you want it to "clean" the file (to remove the virus). In other cases, the software may attempt to remove the virus without asking you first. When you select an anti-virus package, familiarize yourself with its features so you know what to expect.
 

Which software should you use?

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There are many vendors who produce anti-virus software, and deciding which one to choose can be confusing. All anti-virus software performs the same function, so your decision may be driven by recommendations, particular features, availability, or price.
Installing any anti-virus software, regardless of which package you choose, increases your level of protection. Be careful, though, of email messages claiming to include anti-virus software. These messages, supposedly from your ISP's technical support department, contain an attachment that claims to be anti-virus software. However, the attachment itself is in fact a virus, so you could become infected by opening it.
 

How do you get the current virus information?

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This process may differ depending what product you choose, so find out what your anti-virus software requires. Many anti-virus packages include an option to automatically receive updated virus definitions. Because new information is added frequently, it is a good idea to take advantage of this option. Resist believing email chain letters that claim that a well-known anti-virus vendor has recently detected the "worst virus in history" that will destroy your computer's hard drive. These emails are usually hoaxes. You can confirm virus information through your anti-virus vendor or through resources offered by other anti-virus vendors.
While installing anti-virus software is one of the easiest and most effective ways to protect your computer, it has its limitations. Because it relies on signatures, anti-virus software can only detect viruses that have signatures installed on your computer, so it is important to keep these signatures up to date. You will still be susceptible to viruses that circulate before the anti-virus vendors add their signatures, so continue to take other safety precautions as well.



Why can email attachments be dangerous?



Some of the characteristics that make email attachments convenient and popular are also the ones that make them a common tool for attackers:
Email is easily circulated - Forwarding email is so simple that viruses can quickly infect many machines. Most viruses don't even require users to forward the email—they scan a users' computer for email addresses and automatically send the infected message to all of the addresses they find. Attackers take advantage of the reality that most users will automatically trust and open any message that comes from someone they know.
Email programs try to address all users' needs - Almost any type of file can be attached to an email message, so attackers have more freedom with the types of viruses they can send.
Email programs offer many "user-friendly" features - Some email programs have the option to automatically download email attachments, which immediately exposes your computer to any viruses within the attachments.
 

What steps can you take to protect yourself and others in your address book?
 

Be wary of unsolicited attachments, even from people you know - Just because an email message looks like it came from your mom, grandma, or boss doesn't mean that it did. Many viruses can "spoof" the return address, making it look like the message came from ​someone else.

If you can, check with the person who supposedly sent the message to make sure it's legitimate before opening any attachments. This includes email messages that appear to be from your ISP or software vendor and claim to include patches or anti-virus software. ISPs and software vendors do not send patches or software in email.
 

Keep software up to date - Install software patches so that attackers can't take advantage of known problems or vulnerabilities. Many operating systems offer automatic updates. If this option is available, you should enable it.
 

Trust your instincts - If an email or email attachment seems suspicious, don't open it, even if your anti-virus software indicates that the message is clean. Attackers are constantly releasing new viruses, and the anti-virus software might not have the signature. At the very least, contact the person who supposedly sent the message to make sure it's legitimate before you open the attachment. However, especially in the case of forwards, even messages sent by a legitimate sender might contain a virus. If something about the email or the attachment makes you uncomfortable, there may be a good reason. Don't let your curiosity put your computer at risk.
 

Save and scan any attachments before opening them - If you have to open an attachment before you can verify the source, take the following steps:
 

Be sure the signatures in your anti-virus software are up to date.​
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Save the file to your computer or a disk.
 

Manually scan the file using your anti-virus software.
If the file is clean and doesn't seem suspicious, go ahead and open it.
 

Turn off the option to automatically download attachments - To simplify the process of reading email, many email programs offer the feature to automatically download attachments. Check your settings to see if your software offers the option, and make sure to disable it.
 

Consider creating separate accounts on your computer - Most operating systems give you the option of creating multiple user accounts with different privileges. Consider reading your email on an account with restricted privileges. Some viruses need "administrator" privileges to infect a computer.
 

Apply additional security practices - You may be able to filter certain types of attachments through your email software or a firewall.​



How can you minimize the access other people have to your information?



You may be able to easily identify people who could, legitimately or not, gain physical access to your computer—family members, roommates, co-workers, members of a cleaning crew, and maybe others. Identifying the people who could gain remote access to your computer becomes much more difficult. As long as you have a computer and connect it to a network, you are vulnerable to someone or something else accessing or corrupting your information; however, you can develop habits that make it more difficult.
 

Lock your computer when you are away from it. Even if you only step away from your computer for a few minutes, it's enough time for someone else to destroy or corrupt your information. Locking your computer prevents another person from being able to simply sit down at your computer and access all of your information.
 

Disconnect your computer from the Internet when you aren't using it. The development of technologies such as DSL and cable modems have made it possible for users to be online all the time, but this convenience comes with risks. The likelihood that attackers or viruses scanning the network for available computers will target your computer becomes much higher if your computer is always connected. Depending on what method you use to connect to the Internet, disconnecting may mean disabling a wireless connection, turning off your computer or modem, or disconnecting cables. When you are connected, make sure that you have a firewall enabled.
 

Evaluate your security settings. Most software, including browsers and email programs, offers a variety of features that you can tailor to meet your needs and requirements. Enabling certain features to increase convenience or functionality may leave you more vulnerable to being attacked. It is important to examine the settings, particularly the security settings, and select options that meet your needs without putting you at increased risk. If you install a patch or a new version of the software, or if you hear of something that might affect your settings, reevaluate your settings to make sure they are still appropriate.
 

What other steps can you take?

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Sometimes the threats to your information aren't from other people but from natural or technological causes. Although there is no way to control or prevent these problems, you can prepare for them and try to minimize the damage.
 

Protect your computer against power surges and brief outages. Aside from providing outlets to plug in your computer and all of its peripherals, some power strips protect your computer against power surges. Many power strips now advertise compensation if they do not effectively protect your computer. Power strips alone will not protect you from power outages, but there are products that do offer an uninterruptible power supply when there are power surges or outages. During a lightning storm or construction work that increases the odds of power surges, consider shutting your computer down and unplugging it from all power sources.
 

Back up all of your data. Whether or not you take steps to protect yourself, there will always be a possibility that something will happen to destroy your data. You have probably already experienced this at least once— losing one or more files due to an accident, a virus or worm, a natural event, or a problem with your equipment. Regularly backing up your data on a CD or network reduces the stress and other negative consequences that result from losing important information. Determining how often to back up your data is a personal decision. If you are constantly adding or changing data, you may find weekly backups to be the best alternative; if your content rarely changes, you may decide that your backups do not need to be as frequent. You don't need to back up software that you own on CD-ROM or DVD-ROM—you can reinstall the software from the original media if necessary.



The above information is provided in public interest.



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