Leah Dantinne

Viruses Assignment

July 3, 2003

Virus Information

Viruses are man-made computer programs that are either sent or downloaded to your computer. Viruses typically have negative effects on your computer, and should be avoided if possible. There are different types of viruses, such as worms (viruses that stay in the memory of the computer and replicate-they may send themselves to other computers through email), and Trojan horses (viruses that disguise themselves as something else, then launch an unexpected program).

Tip Sheet for Protecting Against Viruses

1. Do not open email attachments received from someone you don’t know, or someone who may be suspicious.
2. When downloading files from the internet-be careful. You should only download files from reputable sources.
3. Install and maintain anti-virus software on your computer. Once installed, you should update the program at least monthly.
4. Back up your hard drive on a regular basis. If a virus were to crash your computer, if the hard drive is backed up you can reload most of your programs and information.

Virus Hoaxes

Sometimes you may get an email warning you about a virus, and it may even be forwarded by a friend. There are “virus hoaxes” circulating around the internet, usually in the form of email forwards. They are usually to the tune of “Virus X is traveling around the internet-if you see emails marked in a specific way, don’t open it”. The best advice when an individual receives an email like this is to check with a reputable virus site, such as www.mcafee.com, or www.symantec.com to verify that the virus is real. Under no circumstances should you blindly follow instructions in one of these emails!