Anti-Virus Needs

Viruses

by David Foster, CBR Systems Analyst

(January 2005) This article is the third of 4 articles dealing with Internet security on your personal computer. The growth in usage of always-on, cable Internet connections and the sophistication of Internet bad guys makes security a growing and never ending concern. This article deals with computer viruses, which seem to be here to stay in our on-line community. The previous and following articles have and will touch on firewalls, spyware needs, and Windows Security.

What is a computer virus and how are they spread?

Primarily viruses are programs created to wreak havoc on computers, though there are some which are MS Word macros designed to wreak havoc on MS Word files. The number one way they are spread is through email, however it is also possible to get infected from a web site as well.

The effects that a virus can have on your computer are overwhelming. Some are designed to simply allow backdoor access to your computer, while others will destroy all the information stored on your computer and possibly your computer's BIOS as well. The computer's BIOS is what brings all the computer's hardware together so Windows can actually run. If it doesn't work, the computer will not work.

There are also viruses designed to spread across networks, without any action upon a user's part once the program is launched. Viruses can also be used to launch denial of service attacks, whose sole purpose is to bring down a web site.

Viruses usually are spread through email, as was mentioned previously. What truly makes them devious is that viruses will use your own address book and the recipients' address books to make it look like the message is from someone legitimate. This will increase the chance of the message being opened and the virus then launched. Nowadays, this is all it takes - simply opening the message. You do not even have to run the attached file, it will do so automatically.

Another way that viruses are spread, though not as prevalent today with the reduction of diskette use, is through floppy diskettes. When a virus is run, it tries to infect any drive it can, so if someone has a diskette in his or her drive, it will get infected as well. If that diskette is then used on another computer, it will spread the virus.

What steps need to be taken to reduce the risk of viruses?

The two leading anti-virus programs are Norton Anti-virus and McAfee Anti-virus. You really cannot beat these programs. Technical staff here at the Columbus Board of REALTORS® have used both of these programs on personal and company computers with satisfaction. Once installed it is very important to keep the program updated with the most current definitions. The programs can be set to automatically do this, or it can be done manually. But if the definitions are old, then new viruses will not be blocked.

Another place for anti-virus use is a web site, www.microtrend.com. This site actually provides an online anti-virus scan, in case you do not have an anti-virus program or if you think your current program has been compromised. Currently, this is a free service and is very effective.

If you are using MS Outlook or Outlook Express, you should disable your Preview Pane. This is the window that shows you the body of the message without you having to open the message. Basically it is opening the message, thus it will run any file attachment automatically. To disable Preview Pane, simply open Outlook and select Reading Pane or Preview pane from the View pull-down menu, depending on which version of Outlook you are using, and select to disable it. Now all you will see is the list of messages you receive without the message being opened.

Finally, one of the best ways of prevention is making sure of what new programs you are running. If you receive a file via email from a complete stranger, do not trust it. If it is from a family member that normally does not send files, verify that they actually sent you a file. If it is from someone you know, but the subject line is the same as the other email messages you just received, it most likely is a virus. Personally I do not accept diskettes from anyone anymore.

Final thoughts on viruses

If you find that your computer is infected there are a few things you should do. If you still have access to your data, try backing it up to a CD (keep in mind that the CD will probably become infected so will be useless once you try recovering the data) because most likely you will need to wipe your drive and start over. Next, try updating your anti-virus software and try running its protocols, also go to the website of your anti-virus program and see if they have any steps to remove the virus. Finally disconnect from the Internet so you do not help spread the virus. If you are on a network, then you should probably first remove your computer from the network in order to avoid spreading the virus.