Learning From a Conficker Worm and How to Prevent It From Happening Again

Back in 2008 when the Conficker worm first hit, I, like many other IT Professionals was caught unprepared. We all know how to take care of malware and things like malicious coding since we do that on a daily basis, both at home and at work. Having a good anti-virus and malware/spyware programs are essential so it's important that if you don't have an antivirus, that you read up on antivirus reviews and select a program that is right for you. However, these security programs should also be complemented by a strong backup plan. The Conficker worm was different in that it seemed to just keep coming. You couldn't really just remove it and that would be the end of it. I often had to use removal tools to get rid of viruses and other worms, but this one was unique. Conficker seemed to change and it ended up looking like a root kit infection even though it actually wasn't. So I will share some of my observations on the Conficker situation and if you take these steps outlined here, you really shouldn't have much trouble in the future should you get a similar worm.

Microsoft Server 2003 and Windows XP Professional were the two systems that were most targeted by the conficker worm. This is mainly because these two where the most widely used systems at the time. You see, what you have to understand is that Microsoft systems need to be updated regularly. This is because there are holes in the Operating system that people find and exploit. So Microsoft tries to find these flaws and patch them before they are exploited by a hacker. It's the same situation with your anti-virus, spyware/malware software. Having a program that protects you doesn't do you much good if it is not updated regularly. And don't ever think you don't need an antivirus, that way of thinking could be very dangerous. So check out antivirus reviews and get the best one you can find.

Keeping everything updated is one of the best approaches to avoiding a disaster. I know one big complaint from people is that running the updates is slow and very intrusive, and these complaints are valid. Updates do take time and do slow down computers. This is why a client-server model will use WSUS to update the systems locally instead of having each computer contact the Internet.

Another problem is people sometimes get so used to their computer running slow that they are clueless if they have been infected by the Conficker worm. This is because the major symptom of the Conficker is your computer running slow. So if you're used to your computer running slowly, it is likely you won't notice if you get infected by the Conficker. It's kind of a hit and miss when it comes to protection programs being able to spot the Conficker and remove it because as I said before, it just keeps coming back. But having a strong and updated antivirus will always help! If you need help selecting which antivirus is right for you, read antivirus reviews. While Conficker symptoms include a slow system, it also includes Pen drives failing to open, antivirus programs failing to update, and if you look more closely, you may notice some new files appearing. IT professionals will then start to get complaints that the user can no longer login.

So how do we cure this kind of infection? It actually depends on whether you're an ordinary Joe using your computer at home or you are the administrator. Different situations require different solutions and many of these solutions can be found online. The first thing you have to do is to download and run a tool to remove the Conficker. Remember that when you run the Conficker removal tool you'll have to be disconnected from the Internet and any other networks that you might be connected to. The next thing you should do is install all the latest patches from Microsoft. This can be a very difficult task for a business' technician because he/she has the task of keeping the entire system up and running smoothly.

In situations like this it's important to look back at how we reacted and responded to this threat to determine what was done right and what was done wrong. What it comes down to is that most of us don't have a good enough plan in place to first, keep everything up to date and second, to keep everything properly backed up so a disaster could be prevented. We should always be ready to answer any threat because our jobs may depend on it. I can't emphasize enough the importance of keeping Microsoft, anti-virus and antispyware/anti-malware software updated.

In addition, we should backup our data and make system restore points regularly. It's also important to note that you should never overwrite your data with infected data contained in a recent backup. Keep some older backups to prevent this from happening. My fix for this involves temporarily disconnecting from the server, going after the Conficker worm on that one server and then to use the images to restore the system. This might take around 2 hours, including the testing that needs to be done. The software should come from the image or it was installed through MSI and silent install scripts. This will be done by the server itself after it's been cleaned of the worm. Afterwards, check and make sure that all the computers on the network have been properly patched. Run the tool to remove the Conficker worm on each computer just to be safe. Since everything was accomplished by the script, it was a pretty easy process.

Home users might encounter more problems recovering their data if they haven't made enough backups. However, there are many good recovery programs available for free online that can be used to help in this task. The main thing to learn from a Conficker worm attack is that one must always be ready and prepared for the absolute worst case scenario. Being ready means having the best software installed to combat these kinds of worms, including a strong antivirus software. If you have questions or you don't know which antivirus software to use, simply read antivirus reviews to find your answers.

View the original article here

A Guide to Viruses and How to Prevent Them From Infecting Your Computer

A virus replicates itself and then sends itself through the Internet to other computers. The purpose is either to replicate, damage another computer or both. It doesn't need anyone to do anything to make it work; it is a self-contained and self driven program. That is why we should all find the best antivirus program we can to stay safe. A virus will normally get into your computer by being attached to a document or attachment that you download. It can do damage right away or sometimes it's timed to go off at a specific time or date.

A boot virus like disk killer or Michelangelo comes alive when the computer starts and this virus is very hard to get off your computer. Viruses that attach themselves to an install or executable file are called program viruses and they replicate themselves to all of the executable files on your computer, thus making them extremely hard to remove. Examples of these are the cascade and Sunday viruses.

Some viruses are called stealth viruses and they will change their file size to try to avoid being found by an antivirus program. Again, it all goes back to prevention and using the best antivirus software for your needs.

Documents from Microsoft office can be vulnerable to Micro Viruses. These viruses can infect all documents opened and it can be easily spread to other computers through sharing. Nuclear and DMV viruses are two examples of this kid of infection.

The newer viruses are getting much better at shutting down antivirus software. When it shuts down your antivirus it not only opens you up to other viruses, but it opens you up to malware and other such nasty worms. That is why it's imperative that we all have the best antivirus software possible installed on our computers and that it is always up to date.

Spyware is actually malware that has been designed to infect you through pages on the Internet. It can also come bundled in software that you might have installed on your computer. Spyware are not technically viruses but they, like viruses, have been the cause of many headaches and reformats over the years.

These can come from cookies, hijackers, adware, fake security software, key loggers and ransom-ware. Some new kinds of spyware are called root kits and they are virtually impossible to remove. Spyware is typically installed on a computer without the owner not even knowing about it. They are very hard to remove.

Ad-ware is software that is secretly installed on your computer. Its purpose is to produce pop-up ads and other forms of advertisements on your system. For every ad that you click on, you're giving the attacker money. This is why these types of programs are installed, to get clicks on a website. Hijackers, on the other hand, will actually take control of your web browser and take you to a web site that you didn't intend to visit. Again, the purpose of this is money. They take you to their site in the hopes that you will click on the links contained in it, they get paid for every click. They will also often change your homepage and change registry values. Other clues that you have been hijacked include browser plug-ins and add-ons that you didn't install.

What they call "rogue" or "fake" security software are programs that claim to be antivirus or antispyware software but in actuality, the program itself is the virus or spyware. It normally starts by a free online virus scan. Then it will give you a fake report telling you that you have tons of viruses on your computer and that the only way to get rid of them is to download the program. Once downloaded, it will give you more fake scan results and encourage you to give your credit card info to buy the full version of the product. This kind of virus will normally produce many pop-up warnings and error messages designed to scare people in to buying the full version.

These programs were made by smart people who know how to take advantage of an operating system as well as other security software like antivirus programs. The people who make these worms are from all over the world. They design and make these infections and then test them and modify them so they will infect as many people as possible and then they send them out to reproduce and spread and replicate on their own.

Many times these hackers will share information with each other about the weaknesses they have found in operating systems. Then they make malware to exploit that weakness and build a page that is infected with their creation and start advertising the page. Sometimes they will use a slight misspell of a popular web page and so if anyone hits the wrong key when typing in their favorite web page, they get this worm.

The companies that make our antivirus, anti-spyware software don't know about these threats until they happen and are reported to the company. They will get one of the worms and figure out how it works. At this point, they will create a fix for the problem and release it as an update. Once they update the definitions (which are the codes that tell the software what is good and what is bad) then you are protected from that malware in the future. Some companies update their definitions every day to try to stay ahead of the problems. Once the malware is out on the Internet the good software companies will then have the chance to figure out how it works and make the necessary adjustments for their software to combat the worm. However, this doesn't mean that you are protected 100% of the time, sometimes the updates are not enough for the good software to fully stop the malware. And many times the removal process for these worms is not fully figured out for weeks or months after the malware was launched.

What we have to understand is that no matter what kind of antivirus software we have installed on our computers, if we give permission for a program to install, the antivirus cannot stop it, all it can do is warn you. So we really need to be careful of what we install on our systems and we really need to have the best antivirus software we can get and keep it updated regularly to stay safe.

Here are some things you can do to stay safe and protect your self

• Stay educated on the latest methods used by these hackers. Most of these things can be stopped before they even start if you use common sense. If something seems wrong, it probably is and you should avoid it.

• Always have the best antivirus installed and up to date. You also need to keep windows updated.

• Always use a good firewall. Windows 7 has a firewall that works pretty well. But previous versions of windows firewall don't do enough. You can always find good free firewall programs online. But remember to only run one firewall and one antivirus.

• If you get a pop-up, don't click on it. Instead press the ctrl, alt and delete keys at the same time. Now click the programs tab and then select all Internet Explorer programs at once and select to end the task. Now you have just prevented a malware from infecting your computer.

• While browsing the Internet it is important to stay away from sites that regularly carry infections. These include pornographic sites, gambling sites, sites that show you how to be a hacker. Also if the domain or URL look strange or in any way unwelcoming, don't click on the site.

• Some will tell you to unplug your computer or to press the power button for 5 seconds if a pop up appears. This can do a lot of damage to an operating system and even to a hard drive so it is not recommended unless there is no other way to avoid it.

Alright, now that you are aware of what these viruses, malware and spyware actually are and what their purpose is, you need to know what to do if you still get infected.

Maybe you go to your favorite search engine to look up the symptoms that you are experiencing to find someplace to tell you how to get rid of this worm. If, for example, you get a pop up that tells you that it is a security alert, then go to your search engine and do a search for the exact words that it says. You don't need to pay for this information. There are sites out there like experts-exchange.com and bleepingcomputer.com that are great resources to get free advice and information.

There are a lot of people on these sites that have removed a lot of malware and they can help you.

If you find yourself about to download some software on the internet, always think about it first. Did you go looking for this software, or did you just kind of "accidentally" come across it? If your answer is the latter then avoid downloading it.

We must all be willing to really learn about these things so we can effectively combat them. If you don't want to put in the time to learn about it, then the alternative is to hire a professional who can do all the work for you. This can be expensive because you don't want to get the cheapest guy out there. But a reasonably priced tech should be fine.

Remember that even the best antivirus can't stop some of these programs, but you should use a good one and keep it updated. That also goes for anti-spyware software. Always think before you click and remember to check the URL's. If you do the few things recommended in this article you should have a much safer experience online.

View the original article here

How To Prevent Your Computer From Being Infected With A Virus

Are you more than just a little concerned that your computer might be infected with a computer virus? Wondering if there are any tips to help prevent your computer from being infected with a virus? A computer virus is more than just a pain in the you know what. It is an all too real threat to your Internet security and privacy. A computer virus infection can in fact lead you to having your identity stolen. There are some definite steps you can take to help prevent your computer from being infected with a virus.

First of all, make sure that you have Internet security software protecting your computer from spyware and other malicious software. This includes anti-virus, anti-spyware, and anti-keylogger software. There is both reputable and free Internet security software available for download online. I cannot stress enough the importance of keeping your Internet security software up-to-date. Don't overlook installing anti-keylogger software either, as computer viruses often contain keyloggers as well. Also, anti-virus and anti-spyware software alone do not detect all computer viruses.

Have a personal firewall guarding your computer from intruders, who could remotely install a computer virus. Windows 7, XP, as well as Vista all include a free personal firewall. There are both reputable and free firewalls available for download online as well.

It is probably not a good idea to open an attachment from an unknown sender. In fact, you might want to reconsider opening the attachment even if you know the sender; if you fail to recognize the attachment or you are not expecting it. Unfortunately, it could be infected with a pesky computer virus.

You might want to think twice before visiting sites containing freeware, shareware, file-sharing, warez, porn, and the like. These sites are more often than not infected with computer viruses or other malicious software.

Don't forget to keep your operating system up-to-date. Windows and other operating system vendors are constantly coming up with security patches, against computer viruses and other malware. To be protected with the latest updates it is wise to set your operating system to update automatically.

Simply turn off your computer when not in use. A computer that is turned off is much less vulnerable from being infected with a computer virus. Not only that, but you are doing your role for the environment as well; helping to save energy.

Be wary in sharing CD's, USB Flash Drives, etc. They could be infected with a computer virus. Be sure to scan them with your anti-virus software, prior to uploading any files off them.

Following these tips and a little common sense will go a long ways in helping prevent your computer from being infected with a computer virus.

Christopher is passionate about sharing his knowledge and expertise on online security and privacy. Visit Internet Security 101 for the tools and resources to protect your Internet security and privacy, including free Internet security software.

View the original article here

How To Prevent and Detect Remote Access Trojans

Wondering how to prevent and detect Remote Access Trojan's, also known as RAT's? RAT's, like other malware, are an all too real threat to your Internet security and privacy. This malware actually allows criminals to control your computer through your computers Internet connection. In fact, they can have even more control over your computer than you do. Cyber criminals use Remote Access Trojan's to remotely view and change your computers files and functions, monitor and record your activities, store files and programs on your computer, remotely turn on your own webcam to spy on you, and even use your computer to attack other computers. Having your computer infected with a RAT can lead you to having your personal information stolen; added to the ever-growing list of victims of identity theft, which happens to be one of the fastest growing crimes in all of the USA and Canada. Don't disconnect your computer from the Internet forever just yet. It is somewhat reassuring to know that there are some ways to help detect Remote Access Trojans (RAT's).

You definitely want to have anti-virus software installed on your computer to prevent and detect Remote Access Trojans, or any malicious software for that matter. It is important to remember to keep it up-to-date. Try to get into the habit of running a "full system scan" on a regular basis as well.

Have anti-spyware software running on your computer. Most Trojan Horses are detected with anti-spyware software.

It is a good idea to have anti-keylogger installed on your computer, as RAT's are often bundled with keystroke loggers; malware that secretly records every keystroke and even captures screen shots. Anti-virus and anti-spyware software alone do not detect all keyloggers. You need anti-keylogger software installed to detect and block keyloggers.

Have your computer guarded with a personal firewall. A firewall will keep hackers out and block any malware already installed on your computer, such as a Remote Access Trojan or a keylogger, from remotely sending your personal data to a cyber crook.

Try to avoid visiting sites from dubious corners of the Internet; containing file-sharing, freeware, shareware, warez, and the like. These sites are absolutely notorious for containing malicious software, such as a Remote Access Trojan.

It really is not a good idea to open email attachments from someone you don't know. Even if you know the sender, think twice before opening attachments that you are not expecting or do not recognize. Sadly, these attachments may very well be infected with malware, including a Remote Access Trojan.

As you can see, there are steps that you can take to prevent and detect Remote Access Trojans, also known as RATs and Backdoor Trojans. Remember, when it comes to Internet security, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Christopher is passionate about sharing his knowledge and expertise on online security and privacy. Visit Internet Security 101 for the tools and resources to protect your Internet security and privacy, including free Internet security software.

View the original article here

How To Prevent and Detect Computer Viruses

Is your computer running slower than your old Vic 20? Getting that dreaded black screen of death? Computer acting strange? Your computer could be infected with a computer virus. A computer virus puts your Internet security and privacy in jeopardy. In fact, it could lead you to having your personal information stolen; becoming the next victim of identity theft, one of the fastest growing crimes in Canada and the USA. Fortunately, there are some simple steps that you can take to help prevent and detect computer viruses.

It is paramount for your online security to have anti-virus software installed and running on your computer. You might be happy to know that you don't have to break the piggy bank to get anti-virus software; there is free anti-virus software available for download online. Don't forget to keep your anti-virus software up-to-date, to help protect you against the latest viruses and other Internet security threats.

In your quest to prevent and detect viruses, be sure to have anti-spyware software installed.Many computer viruses come bundled with spyware. Anti-virus software does detect most, but far from all spyware. You need anti-spyware software installed to detect and prevent spyware. There is free anti-spyware software online that has a good reputation. That said and done, there is so-called "free anti-spyware software" available for download online that is far from free; charging you around forty dollars to remove a "backdoor trojan" that may or may not exist and even infecting your computer with more malicious software. Bottom line; be sure that anti-spyware software is reputable before downloading.

It is paramount for your online security to install and run anti-keylogger software. This type of Internet security software is often forgotten. That is a big mistake however. More often than you'd care to know computer viruses contain a keylogger; spyware that secretly records every single keystroke and might even capture keystrokes. Anti-keylogger software will detect and block keystroke loggers.

Have a personal firewall installed on your computer to prevent and detect viruses and other malware. A firewall acts as a road block between your computer and the vast world of cyberspace; keeping the bad guys out and stopping any malicious software already installed on your computer from sending your personal data to criminals. A free personal firewall is included in Windows Vista, 7, and XP; make sure you have it activated.

Try to resist the urge to open email attachments from unknown senders.In fact, even if you know the sender it is wise to not open attachments you do not recognize or are not expecting. They could be infected with a computer virus or other malware.

Finally, stay away from sites containing warez, shareware, freeware, file-sharing, and other similar sites. They are notorious for containing malicious software, including computer viruses.

These steps will go a long ways in both preventing and detecting computer viruses and other malware. When it comes to computer viruses, and all online threats for that matter, an ounce of prevention is indeed worth a pound of cure.

Christopher is passionate about sharing his knowledge and expertise on online security and privacy. Visit Internet Security 101 for the tools and resources to protect your Internet security and privacy, including free Internet security software.

View the original article here

5 Ways Strong Passwords Still Fail to Prevent Unauthorized Access

Although online safety through the use of strong passwords sounds like a viable safety measure for most sites and logins, strong passwords are still susceptible to hackers, malware, and phishing attacks. As more and more data breaches are reported, such as the recent incident of VeriSign being hacked, online users are constantly urged to change their login credentials. Many users and some so called internet security experts still rely on strong passwords to protect the online privacy and security of their information. As secure as they seem now, passwords continue to fail to protect against unauthorized access every day as more users rely on it.

Strong passwords can consist of a combination of letters, numbers and symbols. The higher number of characters in a password, the stronger the password is considered to be. These passwords are secure forms of protecting data, however internet technology is changing rapidly and security needs to also change and be more secure. Security such as out-of-band authentication can be used to add an additional layer of security to protect users and information stored online.

There are five things to consider when utilizing a strong password instead of a more secure solution such as out-of-band authentication.

Strong Passwords Are Still Susceptible to Data Breaches and Password Hashes
Some websites and organizations will sometimes store a password hash which is an encrypted format of a user's password. This means that even though you are utilizing a strong password it may be stored in an unsecure database somewhere. This was the case for one of the larger data breaches involving an E-commerce company where customer's emails and password hashes were stolen.

Strong Passwords Can Be Stored Passwords
Although they seem secure, there is always the chance for human error. Storing strong passwords in your web browser not only allows unauthorized access from within your browser, but leaves your password susceptible to hacking. By utilizing a simple root kit, anyone including non experienced hackers can access your data stored within your browser. All it takes is some perseverance and some reverse engineering and anyone could crack your strong password even under encryption.

Key Logging Software and Other Malware can Capture Strong Passwords
You may not store passwords in your browser, but just the very action of using one allows key logging software to siphon that data. Beyond key loggers there is plenty of malware out there which would steal your information through the same manner, possibly through allowing a hacker remote access into your system. Strong passwords may be recorded in a malware program and sent through the internet to a hacker's data base for your password to be used at a later time.

Social Engineering of Security Questions
Almost every time you sign up for an account you are required to state security questions which could be used to authenticate your identity later. These very "security" questions could be the downfall to cracking your super secret strong password which consists of 22 characters mixed between letters, numbers and symbols. By using social engineering and a bit of creativity, a savvy crook could figure out your security questions and gain unauthorized access. More and more users are seeing their passwords stolen through the use of these "challenge questions" that aren't always hard to guess if a hacker has some of your personal information.

Strong Passwords are Hard to Remember and User's Often Store Them in Places Easy to Access
Possibly the biggest part of failure in strong passwords is that they are much harder to remember than passwords that consist of only words or numbers. Imagine your login credentials always consisted of the passphrase flower1 but recently you have upgraded your password to make it stronger and to something more secure such as 5trG12oO. How are you ever going to remember such an outrageous password? It could be such a strong password that it actually prevents you from accessing your own account. Because strong passwords use more characters and symbols, most people write down their new secure pass code and leave it near their computer or stored on their computer. This is the most unsecure form of securing your account. An unauthorized user can simply find your password on or next to your computer and login to your accounts.

Now that we've reviewed the 5 pitfalls of strong passwords, it is plain to see that a more secure method is needed. A very secure and cost effective approach to securing against data breach or unauthorized access is through out-of-band authentication. This secures access to user accounts by transmitting a one-time password to the user through a separate network than the one where access is requested. By utilizing an out-of-band network such as a separate network to send an SMS text message, key logging and other malware is prevented from accessing your one-time password. Also, costs are kept low because almost everyone already owns and uses a mobile phone daily which doesn't require deployment of additional devices for users to carry.

As more incidents occur of strong passwords failing to protect against data breach and identity theft, users and organizations will look for a more secure solution. Out-of-band authentication is a strong form of authentication and will be adopted by many organizations and users in the future when it comes to protecting against unauthorized access. Out of band authentication is easy to implement, easy to use, cost efficient, and its effective in combat fraud.

Adam is a network security professional who believes out-of-band authentication is the most secure form of two factor authentication utilizing a one-time password. He writes to inform businesses about upcoming changes to government regulatory compliance and remote access security.

View the original article here

How To Prevent And Detect Keyloggers

Wondering how to prevent and detect keyloggers, also known as keystroke loggers? Keyloggers are a very real threat to your Internet security and privacy; silently working in the background secretly recording every keystroke and sometimes even capturing screen shots. Keyloggers are often bundled with other malware, such as computer viruses, spyware, and trojan horses.

This malicious software can lead you to having your personal info stolen; added to the every growing list of victims of identity theft, one of the fastest growing crimes in Canada and the USA.

Don't disconnect your Internet connection forever just yet. Fortunately, there are steps to take to prevent and detect keyloggers.

First of all, if you haven't already, install anti-virus software. This Internet security software helps prevent keyloggers and other malicious software. It is important to remember to keep it up-to-date; anti-virus software is only as good as the last update. It is good to know that there is reputable and free anti-virus software available for download online.

It is crucial that you have anti-spyware software installed on your computer. It detects most, but certainly not all keystroke loggers. There is free anti-spyware software available for download online. It is crucial to make sure that it is reputable anti-spyware software before you download it. There is so-called "free anti-spyware software" that in reality is not free and might even be bundled with malicious software, including a keylogger.

Probably the most important step is to have reputable anti-keylogger software installed. Anti-virus and anti-spyware software do not protect you from all keystroke loggers. Unlike other Internet security software anti-keylogger software does not rely on virus signatures and "full system scans". It actually detects and blocks keyloggers.

Ensure that you have a firewall installed. This Internet security software can block a hacker from remotely installing a keylogger on your computer. It can also stop a keylogger already installed on your computer to send personal information and other data remotely to a cyber criminal. There is reputable free personal firewalls available for download online. Windows XP, Vista, and 7 all include a free firewall. If you have not other firewall installed on your computer ensure that it is activated.

Last but not least, check your computer manually for hardware keyloggers. This is especially important when using a public computer, such as one in a public library. Specifically check the cable between your computer and your keyboard as well as your USB ports for a hardware keystroke logger.

By following these steps you'll greatly reduce the chances of having a keylogger as well as other malicious software installed on your computer. When it comes to keystroke loggers and other malware an ounce of prevention can indeed be worth a pound of cure.

Christopher Hecker is passionate about sharing his knowledge and expertise on Internet security and privacy. Please visit Internet security 101 for free Internet security software, advice and tips to protect your computer from malicious software, including keyloggers.

View the original article here

Types of Computer Viruses and How to Prevent Them

Computer viruses are an interesting thing and as much as we all hate them you can't deny how well-bred these beasts have become. They can do an amazing amount of damage in a very short time showing us how destructive the nature of human beings as a race can be. However, computer viruses can take years to engineer and with their ability to spread at alarming rates undetected through the most sophisticated prevention systems demonstrates just how complex the human mind has become.

Some of the most well known and most destructive virus's shutdown massive corporations until the virus could be contained. The ILOVEYOU virus erupted in the year 2000 and forced companies like Microsoft to shut down all of their email servers, an amazing feat considering the simplicity of the virus.

I wanted to take a moment to discuss some of the types of viruses and some of the things you can do to better protect yourself by becoming a better decision maker when using technology like email and internet.

A virus by definition is a small piece of computer code that embeds itself to what would otherwise be a safe program. They are called viruses because the spread just like a biological virus would and just like a living virus, a computer virus needs a host to live off of. Also, like viruses, computer viruses are very small in comparison to software programs. A common piece of software that could get infected would be your Internet Explorer web browser. When the browser is infected, every time you launch it the virus is launched to and does its dirty work. A virus's purpose of existence is to spread to as many computers as possible as fast as possible. Once the virus as infected as many computers as it can, systems begin to fail like security systems and a possible hacker can make his move.

A worm is another type of virus that utilizes security flaws (holes) in a piece of software or an operating system to exploit. Once a system is infected, the worm scans the network for other available host who also disclose the security hole so that it can replicate itself. Worms can spread very fast. For example, the Code Red worm replicated itself over 250,000 times in about nine hours in the summer of 2001. The destructive nature of a worm is to spread as fast as it can and cause congestion on networks bringing it to a stop - just like many living worms on earth!

Another common virus seen is called a Trojan horse. As you may imagine, this virus gets its name from the tale of the Trojan War when the Greeks pretended to sail away but instead hid inside a wooden horse outside the gates of Troy. The Trojans pulled the horse into their city as a victory trophy allowing the Greeks passed the city walls and eventually taking over Troy. A computer Trojan horse also disguises its self to trick a user into letting it into their computer. It may be hiding in a game or media file you download from the internet, or it may be a software program for school or work. Once the file is downloaded and executed, the virus is let free into your system.

Finally there is the email virus which is simply a virus spread via email. This type of virus will email hide in an email and when the recipient opens their email it will infect their system and then resend itself to other people who are in the recipient address book. The virus will send messages over and over trying different types of messages to coax someone to open it.

There are several steps someone can take to prevent these types of viruses.

The first line of defense it to keep your system up to date. May users do not take the time or simply ignore update their software. Many of the updates that software venders are security fixes. The longer you wait to update your computer the better chance you have of getting a computer virus.

Antivirus software can also be very helpful. These types of programs dedicate themselves to protecting user's computers and personal information. Some are free and some charge a one -time fee and possibly even a monthly fee. The best antivirus software to use is debatable and beyond the scope of this article. However, any antivirus is probably better than none.

Use common sense. If something looks off or too good to be true it normally is. Don't open emails or download files sent from people you don't know. Read messages that your computer prompts you with instead of just clicking "Continue" because it closes the window.

Finally, educate yourself on general internet safety. A few moments of your time may keep your financial and personal well being safe.

About the Author
Cory Clough is a web programmer and developer for many first class websites and has worked on several high profile projects. He enjoys playing guitar and the outdoors.

http://dubuque-computer-repair.com/
http://coryclough.info/

View the original article here