FYI Internet Access and Viruses

with more new viruses discovered daily, basic information about them could save you time, money, and embarrassment. Below are the basics you need to know and share with others.

Antivirus companies claim there are more than 60,000 Internet related virus threats currently in existence. So what is a virus, and more importantly how can you and your offices avoid becoming infected by one?

What is a virus?
A virus is any computer program that can "self-replicate" or make copies of itself and spread itself from one machine to another without input from the user.

Viruses are often programmed to carry out other actions separate from replication. These actions, or payloads, vary from the annoying (altering a computer's homepage) to the damaging (deleting files). Because viruses are computer programs, they can do anything a normal program can do, including deleting files, formatting hard drives, and overwriting the BIOS (on the Motherboard). But though many viruses do carry such payloads, a program does not need to have a payload in order to be considered a virus. Some viruses do nothing at all.

How do viruses spread?

Floppy disks or CDs- Usually from files copied from an infected PC or a virus in the program on the floppy or CD scan

Email attachments- Although the majority of viruses that are currently a threat are spread by email. These viruses are usually hidden inside of attachments emailed to computer users, and the emails are usually labeled with vague if any subject lines (i.e. I Love You, Hi, RE…) designed to tempt users into opening them. When the attachment is opened and/or previewed in some cases, the virus is activated, and the user's computer becomes infected.

Downloads from the Internet- I recommend caution when downloading anything from the Internet in a work or home environment.

Viewing infected websites- Some viruses are programmed to spread themselves by corrupting an Internet website and infecting every PC that visits that particular website through their browser. They copy the virus using scripting, which is enabled in most browsers to enable viewing of many legitimate sites.

How do you avoid getting a virus?

Floppy disks or CDs- Always scan any floppy or CD you use in your PC even from a trusted source such as the state

Email attachments- The best way to avoid getting a computer virus is to never open attachments. Since most viruses are spread via email attachments, refusing to open such attachments will keep you from getting many viruses

If you must open an attachment, contact the person who sent you the attachment to confirm it is legitimate and they sent it. Because viruses often spread themselves via an infected computer's address book, emails from people you know aren't automatically safe.

Also, check the type of attachment before opening it. Attachments that end with the .vbs extension (Visual Basic script) or the .exe extension (program files) pose a real danger and are often how viruses are spread.

Downloads from the Internet - If you do download something you should always scan it before installing and/or copying it.

Viewing infected websites- Since they copy the virus using scripting you can turn off scripting on your browser, however that will disable viewing of many legitimate sites. It is probably better to limit Internet access for business use only and/or install an alternate web browser such as Mozilla Firefox which blocks pop-ups and limits PC access unlike Internet Explorer.

Finally, make sure to install and update antivirus software. Symantec offers many ways to update and renew your virus definitions from the companies' website www.symantec.com . You can use this software to scan attachments for viruses before you open them.

You should also turn on active scanning. This type of scanning takes place constantly, automatically checking every file, program, or document every time it is opened or used. This may slow down performance on servers and workstations slightly however if you are at risk then it is better safe then sorry.

How does antivirus software work?
Antivirus software keeps a database of "fingerprints" -- a set of characteristic bytes from known viruses -- on file. It searches files and programs on your computer for that pattern, and when it finds a fingerprint it recognizes as belonging to a virus, the antivirus software notifies the user that that virus is present. There are also programs that look for virus-like behavior in programs, allowing the software to detect completely new viruses.

What do I do if I suspect my computer has become infected?

First disconnect your computer from the your network once you realize it has been infected in order to keep the virus from sending itself to other machines in your network.

There could be many reasons for your computer to act strangely. If you think your computer may have a virus, the first thing you do is find out for sure by running a virus scan of your machine. If you have antivirus software, have it search your computer for the latest viruses. If you do not have such software on that PC please go pick up a copy at your local PC software store.

Once you know for sure which virus you're dealing with, you can find a removal tool for that specific virus and verify that it did or did not spread to other PC’s. go to www.symantec.com for the removal tool