A virus is a manmade program or piece of code that causes an unexpected, usually negative, event. Viruses are often disguised games or images with clever marketing titles such as "Me, nude."
What is an E-mail Virus?
An e-mail virus moves around in e-mail messages, and
usually replicates itself by automatically mailing itself to dozens of people in
the victim's e-mail address book.
What is a Worm?
A worm is a small piece of software that uses computer
networks and security holes to replicate itself. A copy of the worm scans the
network for another machine that has a specific security hole. It copies itself
to the new machine using the security hole, and then starts replicating from
there, as well.
What is a Trojan Horse?
A Trojan horse program is a malicious program that pretends to be a benign
application; a Trojan horse program purposefully does something the user does
not expect. Trojans are not viruses since they do not replicate, but Trojan
horse programs can be just as destructive.
Many people use the term to refer only to non-replicating malicious programs, thus making a distinction between Trojans and viruses.
What are parasites?
‘Parasite’ is a shorthand term for “unsolicited commercial software” — that
is, a program that gets installed on your computer which you never asked for,
and which does something you probably don’t want it to, for someone else’s
profit.
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| Virus Hoaxes | ||||
| There are a lot of viruses out there. But some aren't really out there at all. Virus hoaxes are more than mere annoyances, as they may lead some users to routinely ignore all virus warning messages, leaving them vulnerable to a genuine, destructive virus. | ||||
| Next time you receive an urgent virus warning message, be sure to check the list of known virus hoaxes below. | ||||
| Remember: Never open an email attachment unless you know what it is--even if it's from someone you know and trust. | ||||
| Remember that virus writers can use known hoaxes to their advantage. For example, AOL4FREE began as a hoax virus warning. Then somebody distributed a destructive trojan attached to the original hoax virus warning! The lessons are clear: | ||||
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| click here for McAfee.com Virus Hoax Listings |
and try
HoaxBusters.com
In addition to describing hoaxes and chain letters found on the
Internet, Hoaxbusters.com discusses how to
recognize
hoaxes,
what to do about them, and some of the
history of
hoaxes on the Internet.
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 | F-Secure Virus News |
| Symantec Security Response |
| Computer Virus Resources |
| Google Directory: Anti Virus |
| faqs.org: Computer Virus |
| How Stuff
Works: Virus |
|
Unwantedlinks |
| HoaxBusters.com |
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| Computer Safety Tips | ||||||
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It may seem that achieving good security can be a daunting task. Fortunately, following the few simple steps outlined below can provide a good measure of security in very little time. Install antivirus software and keep it updated. At a minimum, you should check for new definition updates daily. Most antivirus software can be configured to do this automatically. If you need help choosing the right antivirus software, the Top Picks provides a list of recommendations. Make sure all necessary security patches are installed. Windows vulnerabilities are constantly being discovered. Visit the Windows Update Center weekly to ensure you have all critical patches needed. Viruses continue to exploit old vulnerabilities because many users do not apply patches regularly. Not only does not applying these patches leave your system at risk, it leaves your friends and family at greater risk as well. Remember, if a worm gets on your system because you failed to apply the proper patches, everyone in your address book becomes the worm's next target. Try explaining that to Grandma Ellie. Use a firewall. No Internet connection is safe without one. Finding one that monitors both inbound and outbound connection attempts is essential. Free for personal use, Zone Alarm would be a good bet at any price. Firewalls are necessary even if you have a dial-up Internet connection. If you have broadband, your system is even more vulnerable to attack. Secure your email. Make sure your email client isn't leaving you open to infection. Visit the Email Help Center for the necessary configuration changes. Attachments are only part of the problem. Unless you configure it properly, apply the patches, AND exercise caution with attachments, your email is your weakest link. Secure your browser. If using Internet Explorer, take advantage of the security zones settings to ensure optimum browsing safety. To do this, follow the steps outlined in Securing Internet Explorer. Not only will you enjoy safer browsing, you'll be able to eliminate unwanted pop-ups as well. Separate fact from fiction. Don't fall victim to virus hoaxes that tell you to delete perfectly legitimate files or otherwise spread needless alarm. Visit the Hoax Encyclopedia before forwarding on those dire sounding emails warning of non-existent viruses. To get the true scoop on other falsehoods traveling via email, make Urban Legends and Folklore a regular Internet pit stop. |
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Anti-Virus Software Reviews |
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Antivirus software is must-have protection. This review picks the best antivirus software based on its virus detection abilities, features, and breadth of protection. Whether you're seeking total system coverage or an ala carte solution, each of the following products provides superb virus protection for Windows-based PCs. Because every system is unique, evaluate several of these antivirus products to find the software best suited for your PC and your level of experience. 1) PC-cillin Internet Security Suite 2004Building on its solid antivirus capabilities, PC-cillin 2004 also includes spam and spyware protection, wireless device protection, customizable firewall, privacy data protection, parental controls to block unsavory sites, and a year's free tech support via a toll-free number. The software automatically checks for new virus updates every 3 hours and the spam prevention includes a whitelist, blacklist, and Bayesian filter - all at a price lower than many standalone antivirus products. Read ReviewManufacturer's Site 2) Panda Antivirus Platinum v7.0Panda Antivirus Platinum v7.0 combines antivirus and firewall protection to provide robust security with minimal system impact. Configurable script blocking and attachment filtering combined with daily antivirus updates help ensure protection against even fast spreading new email threats. Read ReviewManufacturer's Site 3) F-Prot for WindowsF-Prot for Windows continues to impress with its stellar performance on virus detection tests. The interface is extremely pleasing - easy enough for novice users to navigate yet sophisticated enough for the more advanced. An excellent addition to any antivirus arenal. Should be used in conjunction with a firewall. Read ReviewManufacturer's Site 4) NOD32 Antivirus System v2.0NOD32 is a solid performer, easy to use and with little impact on system resources. Version 2 builds on the product's past accomplishments, remaining true to a singular theme - virus detection. Should be used in conjunction with a firewall. Read ReviewManufacturer's Site 5) Norton Internet Security 2004Norton Internet Security 2004 offers antivirus protection, a personal firewall, spam filtering, priacy filters, and parental controls to block unwanted websites. 6) BitDefender Professional Edition v7Softwin's BitDefender Professional protects against viruses, spyware, and instant messaging threats, as well as offering firewall rules to block undesirable traffic and a privacy gateway to keep your identity and preferences private while surfing the Internet. 7) Kaspersky Anti-Virus PersonalKaspersky offers excellent antivirus protection, perhaps unsurpassed in its ability to recognize various compression algorithms and accurately detect infected files contained within the archives. However, their interface is rather convoluted and may be best suited to more advanced users. Should be used in conjunction with a firewall. 8) McAfee VirusScan 2004McAfee VirusScan 2004 offers focused antivirus protection coupled with an intuitive interface and streamlined update process. Unfortunately, much of their interface is cluttered with advertising for other products in the McAfee family and configuration options for VirusScan are extremely limited. However, McAfee has played catch-up this year and the 2004 version now offers the same level of POP3/SMTP email protection offered by other vendors. Should be used in conjunction with a firewall. Read Review Manufacturer's Site Suggested Reading
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