Computer Viruses

What Is A Computer Virus?

A computer virus is an infectious agent or a piece of destructive software that replicates itself inside a local or a remote hard disk via files: software programs and specific data files. It can usually be deployed via email messages or via a web site hidden among the html pages.

In 1983, Fred Cohen devised the term “computer virus” describing a small program that infects other software application programs by modifying their software write-up to include a possible evolved copy of itself. With this infected software application program can easily spread itself throughout a computer system or network using authorizations of every user using the same program using it to infect other programs. Even the software application programs that has been infected will also act as a virus and thus the infection grows.

We can see that software applications are mostly the target of a virus, on the other hand it can also infect certain types of data files that supports executable content, for example, files that are created using Microsoft Office programs that rely on macros.

Specifically vulnerabilities in certain Windows products can allow data files to be manipulated in such a way that it will cost the host program to become unstable, after which a malicious code can be introduced into the whole system.



—– How To Find Out If Your Computer Is Infected With A Computer Virus?

The best way to deal with any physical sickness is prevention, thus the best way to deal with a computer virus is also prevention. Remember the saying “An ounce of prevention is more than a pound of cure”. Don’t wait for a computer virus to infect your computer be prepared for it by installing anti-virus software on your system, usually 1 anti-virus system is not enough.

You have to do some investments to protect your valuable files inside your computer. Prepare backups of every important files you have and also make backups on cd’s of every important piece of software you have. If you are accustomed in downloading software from the internet, the best way to do it is go to the source of the software itself and download from them, a little investment on the cd could go a long, long way.

Be sure if there’s a visitor that want to use your computer at home be sure to politely ask for the diskette first and run an anti-virus scan on it first before you let your computer read all those files.

Now to answer the billion dollar question: “How To Find Out If Your Computer Is Infected With A Computer Virus?” It’s actually easy, if a virus is no more than a computer software program so let the anti-virus which is also a software program detect it for you.

Common sense like of course you know the speed of your computer if it suddenly “slows” down on you your suspect is there’s a virus trying to copy itself to your hard disk. A simple reboot and a scan will do.

The more helpful tips is to use virusdetails.com for all your new virus warnings that are out there, common sense and another anti-virus software program can’t usually detect a new virus out there. So rely on the expertise of virusdetails.com that it can provide you peace of mind.



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How To Get Rid Of A Virus?

You need to learn first to protect your system. Prevention is still best than a cure when dealing with a virus, don’t wait for it but be prepared for it.

The following protections will do:

McAfee for Windows McAfee version 8

Virex for Mac

Oak’s Spam & Virus Filter Use Windows Update - always update your software for readily available patches.

How to Recover?

An excellent backup is 2 or 3 days old. Your anti-virus program will tell you the infected file in most cases if it’s a newly deployed virus, so you better have a backup for that particular file if it’s a data file, if it’s a part of a software application program that you use, you need to quarantine the said file and delete it when you are in windows safe mode and uninstall the whole software program and install from a cd, never use the backup of a software application program not unless it’s the last thing you can do.

Usually recovering from a backup is the best choice. Use an autobackup software

Practice Safe Computing

1. Don’t open attachments! If it needs to be an attachment set it up as .zip don’t accept .doc/.exe/.scr files. Scan attached files first before opening.

2. Use “Good” Passwords. Good passwords are consisting of usually 8 or 12 characters, using lowercase, uppercase and numbers on it. 3. Protect Windows from Network Trojans. Trojans replicate themselves as well so better update frequent your windows programs.



About the AuthorFor more information on all types of viruses and spyware visit http://www.virusdetails.com for all your new virus warnings that are out there, common sense and another anti-virus software program can’t usually detect a new virus out there.