Viruses Viruses :: Notorious PestsNotorious Pests

James Barnes IIJames Barnes II

Worms and Viruses | Solutions | Worms and Viruses | Myth | Prevention | Final Word

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Unpleasant terms that have become known in the computer industry to Unpleasant terms that have become known in the computer industry to describe some of the insidious ways in which computer systems can be describe some of the insidious ways in which computer systems can be invaded.invaded.

WormWorm - a program that transfers itself from computer to computer over a - a program that transfers itself from computer to computer over a network and plants itself as a separate file on the target computer’s network and plants itself as a separate file on the target computer’s disks. Rare.disks. Rare.

VirusVirus – a set of illicit instructions embedded in a file that passes itself on – a set of illicit instructions embedded in a file that passes itself on to other files with which it comes into contact. Digital vandalism.to other files with which it comes into contact. Digital vandalism.

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A virus can be dealt with by the A virus can be dealt with by the means of a means of a vaccinevaccine, , or or antivirusantivirus; ; a computer program that stops the a computer program that stops the spread of a virus and often spread of a virus and often eradicates it.eradicates it.

- - HoweverHowever, a , a retrovirusretrovirus has the ability to has the ability to fight back and may even delete or disable antivirus fight back and may even delete or disable antivirus software.software.

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Typical Viruses and Typical Viruses and WormsWorms

Name Consequences

SirCam Distributed as an e-mail attachment, infected computers may have files deleted, performance may be degraded, and random files may be sent from the hard drive to anyone in the address book.

Form Causes a clicking noise in the computer’s keyboard on the 18th day of the month; it may corrupt data on diskettes.

MDMA Affects Microsoft Word files; can delete files.

Michelangelo Destroys all data on the hard disk on March 6, Michelangelo’s birthday.

Jerusalem Deletes any program executed on Friday the 13th.

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Virus MythVirus Myth

You cannot get a virus by simply being You cannot get a virus by simply being online, by surfing the Internet, or even from online, by surfing the Internet, or even from

your own local area network. Only by your own local area network. Only by downloading a program and executing it, downloading a program and executing it,

can you get a virus.can you get a virus.

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Virus PreventionVirus Prevention

Antivirus software is the most powerful weapon against viruses. Antivirus software detects viruses, but the most common technique is to search for virus signatures. Each virus can be identified by a unique string of bits called its signature. When a new virus is detected. Experts immediately examine it to determine the signature. Then they add this signature to a file of known viruses. Companies such as Symantec and McAfee that publish antivirus software maintain Web sites that contain the latest signature files. It is important that you visit your antivirus publisher’s site frequently to download these signature files.

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FinalFinal Word of WarningWord of Warning

The most common way of obtaining a virus is The most common way of obtaining a virus is through e-mail attachments. Attached through e-mail attachments. Attached documents created by programs may contain documents created by programs may contain macro viruses. After these files infect your macro viruses. After these files infect your system, they can use your e-mail program to system, they can use your e-mail program to send themselves to everyone in your address send themselves to everyone in your address book. Most antivirus software scans incoming book. Most antivirus software scans incoming mail, but you should still be wary of opening mail, but you should still be wary of opening any unexpected attachments, no matter what.any unexpected attachments, no matter what.

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