Q: What is a computer virus?

A: Strictly speaking, a computer virus is a program which reproduces its own code by attaching itself to other programs in such a way that the virus code is executed when the infected program is executed. However, more and more, the phrase "computer virus" is used to refer to any type of malicious software written deliberately to cause harm to someone's computer or to use that computer in an unauthorized way. 

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Q: What Do Viruses Do?

A: Computer viruses, like biological viruses, need a host to infect; in the case of computer viruses this host is an innocent program. If such a program is transferred to your PC, other programs on your PC will become infected. Even though some viruses do not intentionally damage your data, most consider all viruses to be malicious software since they modify your programs without your permission with occasional disastrous results.

The bottom line is that if you have a virus, you are no longer in control of your PC. Every time you boot your PC or execute a program the virus may also be executing and spreading its infection. While most viruses haven't been written to be destructive, almost all viruses can cause damage to your files--mostly because the viruses themselves are very poorly written programs. 

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Q: Aren't viruses mostly hype?

A: Unfortunately not. It is true that many of the tens of thousands of known viruses are so poorly written that they will not spread in the real world. In addition, exaggerated figures are occasionally presented in the media which have led some people to suspect that all viruses are nothing but hype, but the truth is that viruses are very wide-spread. Viruses are a real threat that no business can afford to ignore. Viruses have been found on brand-new PCs, direct from the manufacturer, and on shrink-wrapped software, direct from the publisher. Viruses are not merely hype and no one is safe from potentially being infected. If you value your data and programs, you must take precautions.

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A: You can protect yourself from the many viruses by practicing simple precautions such as not opening email attachments, particularly those from unknown sources. However, the most important steps to protecting your computer are backing up your data on a regular basis, installing anti-virus software, and keeping it up to date.

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A: Unfortunately the anti-virus software that came with your PC may not be giving you the protection you think it is. New viruses are discovered daily so you must always ensure your anti-virus software is up-to-date. It is also important to make sure your anti-virus software is correctly configured to scan incoming e-mail.  Finally, viruses are but one of many possible threats to your programs and data. Even the most up-to-date virus scanner should not be considered a substitute for common sense caution.

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Q: I just got an email about a new computer virus, what should I do?

A: Most importantly - don't panic. Next, and almost as important, don't immediately forward the email to everyone you know. Most email virus warnings are hoaxes that end up wasting almost as much time as a real virus. Go to a trusted source such as http://hoaxbusters.ciac.org/ or http://www.europe.f-secure.com/news/hoax.htm and verify that it is not a hoax. 

If the virus threat is real, make sure your anti-virus software is up-to-date and that it will detect the new virus. Your anti-virus software vendor's website may also have more specific information on how to respond to the new virus.    

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Q: How serious are viruses?

A: Viruses can pose a serious problem but there are many other threats to your programs and data that are much more likely to harm you than viruses. Problems such as hardware failures, software conflicts, software bugs, and even typos are much more likely to cause undetected damage to your data than viruses. A well known anti-virus researcher once said that you have more to fear from a spilled cup of coffee than from viruses. And though the growth in number of viruses now puts this statement into question, there are many more occurrences of data corruption from other causes than from viruses. This is not to say that viruses are nothing to worry about. It simply means that businesses cannot afford to ignore the other threats to our data as well as viruses. However, because viruses have been deliberately written to invade and possibly damage your PC, they are one of the most difficult threats to guard against.

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A: There Internet holds a wealth of information on viruses and other threats to your computer. Here are just a few of the many virus information resources available on the web (links will open in a new window):

You can also contact us at infusionIT.   

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