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VIRUS INFO Despite what you may have heard, computer viruses are real and they can cause real damage to your computer (ranging from the deletion of important files through to preventing your computer from starting). Connecting to the Internet doesn't, in itself, expose your computer to additional risks. Viruses can only 'propagate' (that is, spread from computer to computer) in a limited number of ways. The most common way is for an infected program to be copied or downloaded to a computer and then run. There are a number of ways that software can be transmitted over the Internet. Programs can be manually downloaded from Web and ftp sites. They can be sent via email. They can be passed around using the file transfer capabilities of online chat and 'buddy' services (IRC, ICQ etc.). They can even be downloaded from newsgroups. The best defence against viruses is to install one or more anti-virus programs on your computer and configure them to check all incoming files and emails for viruses (most will do this by default). You should check the vendor?s Web site regularly (at least once a month, preferably fortnightly or weekly) for updates, as there are new viruses discovered almost daily. Check all downloaded files and email attachments for viruses before running them. Be wary of running programs sent to you by people you don't know. Having said that, you cannot simply assume that because the sender is known to you, the program is virus free. Trojan programs Back Orifice Anti-virus software Macintosh Further reading |
