Frequently Asked Questions - VIRUSES

How does it get into my computer?
Because of the different nature of each virus, there are many different ways that a computer can become infected. The truth is that a virus has to be in some way introduced to a computer. Your computer will not "create" a virus on its own. The most common form of infecting and spreading a virus is through email; however, the simple text of an email cannot infect you. There MUST be an attachment or a file that comes with the email. Once this email is received, the virus can infect the computer only after the file or attachment has been executed or run (to "execute" means the same as to open or double click on the file). Viruses can also be in files that are downloaded off the Internet or file sharing programs such as Napster, Kazaa or Morpheus. After the file is downloaded and executed, the virus can infect the computer. Some computers can become infected if they are on a network. If a worm infects another computer on the network, it can spread itself and go into another computer through the network. The last major source of infection is through floppy disks or even CD's. If an infected floppy disk or CD is put in a computer and a file off that disk containing a virus is executed, the computer may become infected. These are the major ways that computers can become infected.

How do I define or identify if I have a virus?
Since all viruses are different, the payload or result of having the virus may not always be easy to identify. There are certain signs though, that strongly indicate the presence of a virus. These can be things like: error messages in Windows, frequent "illegal operations" (not all illegal operations are viruses, however), loss of speed or processing time, loss of data, involuntary emails being sent from a person's email address, certain programs refusing to work, or even Windows or other operating systems "crashing". In order to identify a virus, the computer hard drive suspected of infection must be scanned with an antivirus program. There are many different antivirus programs but two of the most common are Norton Antivirus and McAfee Virus Scan. Once the computer is scanned, the virus name will be displayed when a corrupt or infected file is found.

How do I clean my computer if I am infected with a virus?
Most viruses can be cleaned by running the antivirus program. The program scanning the computer will either clean the file if it can be cleaned, quarantine it so it cannot infect other files, or delete it and remove the infected file. For some viruses to be completely cleaned, certain files must be deleted and then restored from an original location or a backup. Certain registry entries also must be removed. Instructions on how to do this can be found on either the Norton or McAfee websites. The instructions can vary depending on the virus the user is attempting to remove. The antivirus software cannot clean some viruses since the virus disables the software or even removes it. In these cases, the virus can be cleaned by a removal tool that can be run from the floppy drive, or the hard drive can be taken out of the computer and installed into a clean computer to be scanned by the antivirus program on that computer. In some extreme cases where the virus has caused too much damage and Windows can no longer properly run, it is best to format the hard drive and install fresh, restoring the files and data from backup.

How do I prevent my computer from becoming infected?
The best way to safeguard against infection is to purchase and install antivirus software. This software will run quietly in the background making sure viruses are not being installed or downloaded. When a virus is detected, the program can usually catch it early enough that it can warn the user and the infection can be cleaned or deleted thus protecting the computer. One must remember to update the virus definitions, however. This is referred to as "updating the DAT file". (Not all DAT files on your computer are virus definitions.) Since new viruses are discovered each day, the antivirus companies are always coming out with new definitions for new viruses, to protect the user. These can easily be downloaded and applied to the antivirus software on your computer, ensuring you are protected from the latest threats. Updating Windows is also another measure of caution that one can take. Often new viruses will take advantage of certain weaknesses or security problems in Windows. Updating your operating system can limit the effect a virus can have on a computer. Lastly, take caution in opening emails with attachments from people you do not know or even people you do, and make sure floppy disks and files that you run on your computer are clean. These simple measures of caution, along with a good, updated antivirus program running in the background, will ensure that your computer will have a 99% chance of staying virus free.

What are virus hoaxes?
Virus hoaxes are generally emails warning of viruses that do not exist. The hoax will usually be an email warning of a virus that is being spread or a file that may already be on your computer. This is a scare tactic as people in good faith will forward this message to everyone they can to try and help prevent their friends and family's computers from becoming infected. However, this is part of the plan. If everyone forwards a message about a virus that does not exist, the internet traffic from all these emails can become so high that entire mail servers can go down. If the message says the file is already on your computer and you need to delete it, first check the Norton or McAfee website to see if the file you are removing is really a virus since many times hoax emails will try and convince you to remove necessary system files. If you are still worried, scan your computer using your antivirus software and if the results say that your computer is clean, you can disregard the hoax. Many times the hoax virus will already be documented by Norton or McAfee. If the file mentioned in the email is deleted, it may cause Windows or other programs to fail. Other messages such as "get rich quick" schemes, "forward this to raise money for a sick little boy or girl", and "Bill Gates will pay for every person you send this to" are all designed to increase internet traffic and slow down servers. Take caution to ensure that the message you are forwarding or sending is legitimate and not a hoax.

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