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14 Household Ways To Protect Your Computer From Viruses |
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Computer viruses are deadly. They often spread without any
apparent contact and can be a nuisance, or even worse, fatal
to your computer. Individuals who create these viruses, estimated
at 10-15 new ones a day, are the electronic version of terrorists.
Their goal is to inflict havoc and destruction on as many
people as possible by disabling, stealing, damaging, or destroying
computer and information resources. Often, they have no specific
target in mind, so no one is safe. If you access the internet,
share files or your computer with others, or load anything
from diskettes, CDs, or DVDs onto your computer, you are vulnerable
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 into cyberspace. And there are many things you
can do to keep your computer from catching viruses in the
first place.
Defining Viruses:
A virus is a small computer program that can copy and spread
itself from one computer to another, with or without the help
of the user. However, viruses typically do more than just
be fruitful and multiply, which 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. Often, they cannot deliver their
payload until an unsuspecting user does something to make
the virus execute its programmed function. This could be as
simple as clicking on an innocent looking file attachment
with the .exe (executable) extension.
Catching a Virus:
Most viruses are spread through e-mail attachments because
it's the easiest way 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. Because
of the popularity of this software, hackers get maximum bang
for their buck, and they probably get some satisfaction from
continually reminding Microsoft that being big doesn't mean
you're perfect.
Solution 1: Anti-virus Software
Your first line of defense is to install anti-virus software.
To be extra safe, also install firewall software, which is
now included in some anti-virus packages. This software can
scan all of your drives for viruses and neutralize them. Here
are some features to consider when evaluating anti-virus software.
- 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
available. If you must, buy it from another vendor.
- Automatic background protection - This means your 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's even better if
they occur automatically when you connect to the internet.
If automatic updating isn't included, you'll have to check
the vendor's website and download updates yourself. This is
vitally important, because you will not be protected from
new viruses if your software is out of date.
- Disaster recovery - Software with a recovery utility to
help you get your system back to normal after a virus attack
is always good to have.
- ICSA certification - The International Computer Security
Associatioin has standards for the detection rates of anti-virus
software. Make sure your software has the ICSA certification.
- Technical support - It's a good idea to select a package
that offers free technical support, either online or through
a toll-free number. If you're ever felled by a virus, you
may need it. Some anti-virus software vendors are Symantec
Corporation (Norton AntiVirus), McAfee Corporation (McAfee
VirusScan), Trend Micro Inc. (PC-cillin), and Zone Labs Inc.
(Zone Alarm Suite).
Solution 2: The Virus Scan
If you receive a particularly juicy attachment that you're
dying to open, save it on your Windows desktop and run your
anti-virus software on it first. To do this, click once gently
on the file on your desktop ... don't 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 software may neutralize
it, or at least tell you the attachment is too dangerous to
open. On the other hand, don't feel guilty if the very thought
of saving a potentially damaging file anywhere on your system
is enough to quell your eagerness to open it and make you
delete it immediately.
Solution 3: Delete first, ask questions later.
When in doubt about the origin of an e-mail, the best thing
to do is delete it without previewing or opening it. However,
some viruses, such as Klez, propagate by fishing in people's
address books and sending themselves from any contact they
find to another random contact. You can spread a virus just
by having people in your address book, even if you don't actually
e-mail them anything. They'll receive it from someone else
in your address book, which really makes life confusing. Because
of 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.
Solution 4: Beware of virus hoaxes
E-mails warning you about viruses are almost always hoaxes.
You may be tempted to believe them because you typically receive
them from 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
as a sick joke.
The proliferation of e-mails about virus hoaxes can become
nearly as bad as a real virus. Think about it, if you obey
an e-mail that tells you to forward it to everyone in your
address book, and they THEY do it, and this goes on long enough,
you could bring the internet to its knees. If you ever want
to verify a virus warning, your anti-virus vendor may have
a list of hoaxes on it website. It's in the business of providing
the fixes, so it will know which viruses are real.
Solution 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 good idea. Just being able to see
a suspicious extension and deleting the file before opening
it can save you from a virus infection.
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 Apply | OK. System files
will still be hidden, but you'll be able to see extensions
for all the files you need to be concerned with. Viruses often
live on files with these extensions - .vbs, .shs, .pif, .Ink
- and they are almost never legitimately used for attachments.
Solution 6: Disable the .shs extension
One dangerous extension you can easily disable is .shs. Windows
won't recognize it and will alert you before attempting 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 this isn't something you ever do,
or you have Word and Excell 2000 or later, which allow you
to have 12 items on the Clipboard, click the Start button
| Control Panel | Folder Options | File Types tab. Under Registered
file types, scroll down and highlight the SHS extension. Click
Delete | Yes | Apply | OK.
Solution 7: Dealing with double extensions
When you turn on your extensions in Windows, you'll be able
to detect viruses that piggy-back themselves onto innocent
looking files with a double extension, such as 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 must be executed to do its dirty
work, so it may have an .exe extension. Unfortunately, this
is the same extension used by legitimate program files. So,
don't panic if you find files named Word.exe or Excel.exe
on your system - they're your Microsoft software. Just don't
EVER open any file with an .exe extension if you don't know
what the file'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. If you recieve an unexpected
attachment, don't open it without first running it through
your anti-virus software.
Solution 10: Don't download from public newgroups
What better place for a hacker to lurk and stick his virus
than in the middle of a crowd? Sooner or later, someone'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 software.
Solution 11: Avoid bootleg software
This may seem like 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 don't know where it's
been, and what may 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 just a few keystrokes. A macro virus may perform
such mischief as changing file types from text files or spreadsheets
into templates, locking up keyboards, and deleting files.
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 may find that
the steps of this procedure are unavailable becasue the virus
has disabled them. In that event, run a virus scan on your
system to see if your anti-virus software can kill the virus.
Solution 13: Use passwords
If you share your computer, it's a good idea to assign everyone
a password. Passwords should be a combination of letters and
numbers 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 repair bugs in the operating system, not for security problems.
To get 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 warned that the information is written in techie
language, so you may find it daunting.
Last Words:
Now that you know some ways for avoiding and dealing with
viruses, let's wrap things up with some solution you've probably
heard before but have ignored.
- Back up your files regularly - If a virus crashes your
sytem, you'll feel much better if you've got backup copies
of all your important files. Make the backup copies on a media
that's separate from the computer, such as on diskettes, CDs,
or zip disks. Scan them for viruses before you put them away
to make sure they aren't infected. If they are, they'll do
you no good if you ever have to use them because they will
just transmit the virus right back onto your computer.
- Make a boot disk - Create an emergency boot diskette before
you have a problem so you can start your computer after a
serious security problem To make a boot diskette with Windows
XP, put a blank floppy disk in the drive. Open My Computer,
then right click the floppy drive. Click Format. Under Format
options, click Create an MS-DOS startup disk. Click Start.
Keep the disk in a safe place. With luck, you'll never need
to use it.
- Turn off you computer - DSL and cable connections that
are "always on" may be convenient, but you should
always turn off your computer when its not in use. Hackers
can't get to a machine that's powered off.
About the Author:
Marv Ko has many years of experience in business, marketing,
security, writing, and varied hobbies. He is is the senior
editor of www.upublish.info ... your source for Original Content
Articles. Sign up free today. Great RSS feeds available.
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