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Worried About Getting a Computer Virus?
Getting a computer virus can happen to anyone. Maybe someone sent you an email message that contains a bad file with a virus that starts erasing your computer hard drive. If this happens, what do you do?
There are thousands of computer viruses circulating, most of them are transmitted when you run a program that comes within an attachment (ie. an .exe, or strange file extension) and/or 'macro viruses' transmitted by email programs that use Microsoft Programs. Some viruses can be transmitted by a program or floppy diskette that may infect your computer.
For those people who think they have a Computer Virus we have prepared a couple recommendations that may help you. Most importantly, you should be using a good anti-virus program that has notified you of the possible infection. This program should protect you from most virus attacks and should have a simple option of keeping the database up-to-date over the internet - this is important because viruses change almost daily!
RECOMMENDATIONS
- don't open files you aren't sure of the origin or file type
- teach family and colleagues to not open strange file extensions, especially if you don't know the person who is sending it
- don't trade software programs with friends and be very suspicious of programs that people send you
- don't install pirated (ie. stolen/copied) software or strange programs that you shouldn't be installing
- continually upgrade your anti-virus definition files and use a program that you can click and update online
- make sure you know of a computer service store who can help you in the event of an emergency
STEPS IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE A VIRUS
- disconnect the computer from your network but try to leave the computer on (some viruses may be activated on a reboot so you want to understand the virus first and/or not panic)
- 'quarantine' the computer and contact someone in your organization or household who can help you service it
- run anti-virus programs that are already installed and most of the time this will disinfect your system (if the program is current)
BACKUPS
- we recommend you keeping a backup of your computer in a safe place
- keep backups in a rotation with a reasonable amount of older copies just in case you need to reach back to a non-infected date and time
PROGAMS & LINKS
Storm Support Tips and Tricks
While everyone agrees that viruses are a "Bad Thing," the solution to this problem seems to have escaped many people. The best solution for this one is really very simple: Self Control. This document contains simple instructions on how to stop viruses cold.
- Beware of ALL e-mail attachments.
An attachment is a part of an e-mail that's not the text. It's an added bit at the bottom. Attachments can be anything; a picture, a word processing document, a program, a video file, or anything that's not just text. Depending on your e-mail program the attachment can show up in different ways but it's usually an icon somewhere on the e-mail.
- Don't depend on virus scanners to kill viruses attached to emails.
No anti-virus program is 100% effective. Many of the viruses that get distributed through email do so before the people who maintain the scanner programs can update the program to detect the virus. It's a pretty good bet that you have not updated your virus definition file in a while either. Virus scanners offer very little protection for these kinds of viruses. To maximize the effectiveness of anti-virus programs be sure to update your virus definitions and scan your system on a regular basis.
- Look at the attachment name.
The first part of the name is unimportant. It's the LAST part after the last dot "." that tells you what kind of file it is. This is called the file's extension. Some people have their computers set to not show extensions for certain files. Windows users should make sure that this option is turned off. The easiest way is to double click on "My Computer" and look in the "View" menu for "Folder Options". If it's not there, look under the "Tools" menu. Once that is opened, look for the "View" tab - in there is a series of checkboxes. Make sure that "Hide File Extensions for Known File Types" is unchecked. Here's a basic rundown on file types and what danger level they pose to your system. Be careful of filenames that have more than one dot in it: GreatPic.jpg.vbs is a VBS file and is very dangerous.
- Don't download or run anything from a source that you don't completely trust.
A lot of fun little joke programs or "useful" tools can have stuff attached to them without you being aware of it. Make sure that everything you run is from a trusted source and that you have scanned it with an up to date anti-virus program before running it.
By following these simple guidelines you can greatly decrease your chances of your system being infected with a virus.
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