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**What is a virus? A piece of programming code, not part of the original code, inserted into an executable program. Viruses spread when you launch an infected program or start up your computer from a disk (including your hard drive) that has infected system files. Viruses behave in different ways. Some viruses stay active in memory until you turn off your computer. Other viruses stay active only as long as the infected software program is running. Turning off your computer or closing the software program removes the virus from memory, but does not remove a virus from an infected file or disk. Viruses don't necessarily let you know that they are there even after they do something destructive. **Are all viruses harmful? The vast majority of viruses are benign and will cause little if any damage. They are frequently practical jokes created by "hackers" simply to show that they can break a code. **What do viruses do? Unfortunately, the few that are malicious can be devastating, corrupting programs permanently so they are unusable, deleting files deliberately or at random, or erasing your entire hard disk. Even the prank viruses can be nuisances, such as changing all "Es" in a document to 7s or giving the appearance that a file was saved when it wasn't. **Can I protect myself and my computer from viruses? Yes, but not all. The best protection is to have an *up-to-date* virus shield program running on your system every moment your computer is on. Update your virus shield software monthly or as frequently as the manufacturer issues new updates. Run the virus scan often, especially if you get diskettes and files from outside sources. Some good virus protection programs include McAfee Virus Shield, Norton AntiVirus and Dr. Solomon's A/V. **What do I do if I get a virus on my computer? Do not do anything else until you "clean" the virus in order to avoid potential damage. If you are in a company with an MIS department, notify them first. They will likely know exactly what to do. Notify all persons you exchanged files or disks with of the virus so they can catch it. If you are on your own or at home, let your virus shield software remove the virus, if it offers the option. If not, it's best not to do anything on that computer until the virus is vanquished. You can turn off the computer, but that will not remove the virus. Whatever you do, take action quickly. Don't ignore the problem. **Where can I find out more? The Computer Knowledge Homepage (http://www.cknow.com/) has a free virus tutorial that will give you even more understanding of what viruses are and how they work. If you think a message about a virus is a hoax or you want to check to see if you have been exposed to a genuine virus, try looking at the links below, where they are conscientious about reporting known viruses as soon as they appear. A humorous look at virus hoaxes and ‘urban legends' (like the ``Good Times" or ``Dying Child" messages), can be found at the Computer Virus Myths page (http://kumite.com/myths/myths/). McAfee's Virus Information Library (http://www.mcafee.com/support/techdocs/vinfo/1102.html) has a full listing of all viruses by name and describes what they do. So does Symantec (Norton) and Dr. Solomon's. Enhance Software has a list of virus scanner software with links to free download sites (http://www.innotts.co.uk/enhance/software/2virus.htm) . Copyright 1997 by Kaye Vivian ( kvivian@cloud9.net ). All rights reserved. |
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