Information about Viruses

Get Information about Viruses

Definitions

Virus

A virus is a small computer program that attaches itself to other programs. The only way to "catch" a virus is to run an infected program. You can unintentionally download virus from a web site or get it from a disk that someone has lent you. When an infected program is run, the virus is also run, which allows the virus to replicate by attaching itself to other programs. There are some viruses that can crash computers and even damage files and some that do nothing but replicate. Software is available to detect and remove viruses, but you must keep your "pattern" up to date. One good defense against viruses is to be careful not to download programs or data from a site you're not familiar with, but this is not a guaranteed defense because people you know may easily send you a virus in an e-mail attachment without knowing they have a virus on their own computer.
Hoax

A virus hoax is a false warning about a computer virus. Typically, the warning arrives in an e-mail. These notes are usually forwarded using distribution lists and they will typically suggest that the recipient forward the note to other distribution lists, or to 'everyone in your address book'. If you get a message about a new virus you should check to see whether it is a hoax before forwarding the warning to other people. You can check by visiting http://vil.mcafee.com/hoax.asp.
Pattern File

This is the part of the anti-virus program that recognizes viruses and alerts the program to take a 'cleaning' action. Because new viruses are being created all the time, the pattern needs to be regularly updated with new information. The companies that make anti-virus software usually update their pattern files at least once a week.
Subscription

In order to keep your anti-virus program accurate, you must regularly (for example, once a week) update your "pattern" file. Most anti-virus programs have an automatic update function that will check the vendor's web site for updates and automatically download and install the changes you need. In order to use this function, you must buy a subscription from the vendor - this provides you with an access code. Subscriptions can be purchased over the phone or on the Internet. The fee is usually nominal compared to what it costs in time to restore a computer that has been damaged by a virus.


Anti-Virus Software

* Symantec: Norton Anti-Virus
* McAfee: VirusScan
* Trend: PC-Cillin
* Grisoft: AVG Anti-Virus (free)