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Top 10 things everyone must know about computer viruses Eric Koshinsky http://www.antivirus-report.com
1. What is a virus? A virus is name for a parasitic program written to intentionally enter a computer without user's permission or knowledge. The word parasitic is used because a virus attaches to files or boot sectors and replicates itself so it can spread. Though some viruses do little more than copy themselves, others can cause serious damage or affect program and system performance. Therefore a virus should never be assumed harmless or left on a system.
2. One way you can’t get a virus You cannot get a virus simply by being on internet or using an online service. You will only become infected via internet if you download an infected file and then run that file.
3. Three ways you can get a virus There are only three ways you can get a virus: i) by executing an infected program ii) booting from an infected diskette iii) opening an infected email attachment. Strictly speaking i) and iii) are pretty much same, but most people think of them quite differently, so I will too.
4. What are infected program viruses? Infected program viruses are often attached to other software programs like games, disk utilities, macros in office documents and screen-savers. They are activated when these normally harmless programs are started. When infected application is run virus activates and loads into memory, where it can infect any new program that you open. This means that ever more applications on your system will become infected, which will almost certainly cause system problems. Files downloaded directly from Internet (either through file-sharing programs or direct download from websites), are among fastest growing sources of computer virus infections.
5. What is a boot infector? Booting from an infected disk simply means allowing your computer to start up with a disc, CD or DVD in drive. Even so called ‘non bootable’ diskettes, CD's, and DVD's can be infected by a boot sector virus, so make a point of removing all kinds of discs when you’ve finished with them. Once ‘boot code’ on your hard drive is infected, virus will be loaded into your computer’s memory every time you start your computer, from where virus can infect each and every disk that is put into your computer. Floppy disks, though not as commonly used as in past, are still a very common way viruses being spread from machine to machine. Anyone with an infected machine, using a floppy disk to copy and save files, can also copy and transfer virus.
6. How do email infections happen? Email is now a favorite way to spread viruses. They are contained in attachments (the files that can be sent along with an e-mail message). Often user of an infected computer unknowingly attaches an infected file to an email message, and then sends email to a friend or colleague. When email is received and file attachment is opened, virus launches itself. Email messages with animations, automated greeting cards, jokes, photographs, even spreadsheets and document files, all have been documented to contain virus files. Many of most dangerous viruses are primarily spread through e-mail attachments.
