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Combat Viruses
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The majority of computer viruses are spread through email messages, or get in through security holes on an un-patched
Windows operating system. With a few simple steps you can avoid becoming a victim of a potentially damaging virus infection.
RUN WINDOWS UPDATE. Microsoft is continually finding security holes in Windows (all versions) and they provide patches (critical updates) to fix these potentially harmful flaws. All Windows users should be checking for critical updates frequently, like once a week. If any critical updates are available download and install them A.S.A.P. People who write viruses can take apart a critical update which then shows them exactly where to go to get into an un-patched system. You should be able to find Windows Update by pressing the Start button and it should be listed in Programs or All Programs. If you cannot find it go here: http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com. Even after applying all the critical updates, Microsoft Internet Explorer is left with major security flaws. One of which allows a web site to actually load programs on your system with out your knowlege or even delete files on your system. Another flaw allows a web site to spoof (fake) the web site address in the address bar. This means you may think you are on a site like Ebay and the address bar shows that you are at http://www.ebay.com but you may not be. Do you want to enter you username and password on a site that may be faking its identity? What about entering your credit card number? I highly recommend using Mozilla's Firefox available at http://www.mozilla.org. If you want a nice browser like Firefox but with a great email client included get the full Mozilla. Some web site will only work with Internet Explorer, like Windows Update and many of the online virus scanners. In these cases we are forced to use IE. DON'T USE Microsoft's email clients. Outlook and Outlook Express are probably the most used email programs. Both have major security flaws.
Just viewing an email in the preview pane can execute the message's attachment that may contain a virus. Microsoft has a very LAME
solution to this problem. One of the Windows Updates will turn off the ability to download attachments in Outlook and Outlook Express. This
can be turned back on by going to Tools->Options->security and unchecking the box that says "Do not allow attachments to be downloaded that may
contain blah blah blah...". In Microsoft Office 2003, the new version of Outlook does not allow you to download any attachments that
are executable files. There is no way to get around this one, but you should NEVER open an excutable attachment. I recommend using
an email prgram like Eudora http://www.eudora.com or Mozilla's Thunderbird http://www.mozilla.org.
Eudora has a free version that displays a small advertisement window which I find not intrusive. Thunderbird is open source and free.
Opening files attached to email messages greatly increases your chance of getting a virus. One of the best solutions, but not always the most practical solution to this problem, is to not open any file attachments. This includes files attached to emails received from friends and relatives. Many viruses will, unknown to the user, get into the user's email address book and send out copies of itself to people in the user's address book. Just because you know the person doesn't mean the file attached to this user's email can be trusted. Viruses are contained in executable files and files that contain macros like Word docs and Excel files to name a few. Everyone should own some virus scanning software. Recently I have found that the two most popular Antivirus programs, McAfee and Norton have been missing many viruses. I purchased Norton Antivirus 2004 and had it running a complete virus scan every night at midnight. Then I found AVG, a free anti virus program and thought I would give it a try. It found 7 viruses that Norton had missed. Since then 100% of the customer's computers that were exhibiting virus like behavior and had either Norton or McAfee had infection that these two scanners missed, but AVG found. I highly recommend AVG. The free version can be found at http://www.grisoft.com/us/us_dwnl_free.php. You can also scan for viruses online without purchasing any software. The free online scans will identify problems but usually not fix them. You will need to purchase software to fix the problem. A good online virus scanner along with other free virus tools can be found at the Trend Micro web site at http://housecall.trendmicro.com/. |