What are
viruses, worms, and Trojans?
Viruses, worms, and Trojans
are malicious programs that can cause damage to your computer and information on
your computer. They can also slow down the Internet, and they might even use
your computer to spread themselves to your friends, family, co-workers, and the
rest of the Web. The good news is that with an ounce of prevention and some good
common sense, you are less likely to fall victim to these threats. Think of it
as locking your front door to protect your entire family.
Read on to learn about the
characteristics and differences of viruses, worms, and Trojans.
Recent security threats, such as MyDoom, have spread through e-mails disguised
as familiar-looking returned mail error messages. The attached file appeared to
be the text of a message you may have sent to the wrong address, but if you
opened it you fell victim to the virus. No matter how authentic an e-mail
appears to be, make sure you know the contents of the attachment before you open
it.
Help protect against viruses, worms, and Trojans
Although viruses, worms, and Trojans
have very different characteristics, there are three main ways you can help
protect yourself against all of them
Step 1:
Never open an e-mail attachment from a stranger.
Step 2:
Never open an e-mail attachment from someone you know, unless you know exactly
what the attachment is.
Step 3:
Always keep your antivirus software up-to-date.
Step 4:
Keep your Microsoft software current using our online resources:
What is a Virus
A
virus is a piece of computer code that attaches itself to a program or file so
it can spread from computer to computer, infecting as it travels. Viruses can
damage your software, your hardware, and your files.
Virus (n.)
Code written with the express intention of replicating itself. A virus attempts
to spread from computer to computer by attaching itself to a host program. It
may damage hardware, software, or information.
Just as human viruses range in
severity from Ebola to the 24-hour flu, computer viruses range from the mildly
annoying to the downright destructive. The good news is that a true virus does
not spread without human action to move it along, such as sharing a file or
sending an e-mail.
What is a worm?
A worm, like a virus, is
designed to copy itself from one computer to another, but it does so
automatically by taking control of features on the computer that can transport
files or information. Once you have a worm in your system it can travel alone. A
great danger of worms is their ability to replicate in great volume. For
example, a worm could send out copies of itself to everyone listed in your
e-mail address book, and their computers would then do the same, causing a
domino effect of heavy network traffic that would slow down business networks
and the Internet as a whole. When new worms are unleashed, they spread very
quickly, clogging networks and possibly making you wait twice as long for you
(and everyone else) to view Web pages on the Internet.
Worm (n.)
A subclass of virus. A worm generally spreads without user action and
distributes complete copies (possibly modified) of itself across networks. A
worm can consume memory or network bandwidth, thus causing a computer to stop
responding.
Because worms don't need to
travel via a "host" program or file, they can also tunnel into your system and
allow somebody else to take control of your computer remotely. Recent examples
of worms included the
Sasser worm and the
Blaster worm.
What is a
Trojan?
Just as the mythological
Trojan horse appeared to be a gift, but turned out to contain Greek soldiers who
overtook the city of Troy, today's Trojans are computer programs that appear to
be useful software, but instead they compromise your security and cause a lot of
damage. A recent Trojan came in the form of an e-mail message that included
attachments claiming to be Microsoft security updates, but turned out to be
viruses that attempted to disable antivirus and firewall software.
Trojan (n.)
A computer program that appears to be useful but that actually does damage.
Trojans spread when people are
lured into opening a program because they think it comes from a legitimate
source. To better protect users, Microsoft often sends out security bulletins by
e-mail, but these bulletins will never contain attachments.
Trojans can also be included
in software that you download for free. Never download software from a source
that you don't trust. Always download Microsoft updates and patches from
Microsoft Windows Update or
Microsoft Office Update.
Do you know what Antivirus Agent Pro is?
Antivirus Agent Pro is an imitation spyware removal
program. Antivirus Agent Pro does nothing but pretend to be able
to remove spyware and/or detect malware parasites on your
computer. Worst of all about Antivirus Agent Pro is that it is
for sale on the internet while it does not peform the duties
that it says it will.
Antivirus Agent Pro 1.0.0 is a fraudulent program and
considered to be a rogue anti-spyware application. Like other
rogues, Antivirus Agent Pro may potentially damage your system
or personal files. Antivirus Agent Pro may come from a Trojan
over the internet that you could have got from a fake video
codec or directly from the avagentpro.com web site.
In non-techie terms:
Antivirus Agent Pro is not a PRO nor is it your friend in
helping you to rid your computer of spyware. Antivirus Agent Pro
should never be trusted or purchase under any circumstances. If
you ever get a popup of message on your screen from Antivirus
Agent Pro then you may want to follow the removal guide to get
rid of Antivirus Agent Pro.
Antivirus Agent Pro screen shot image:
Do you know what VirusRemover2008 is?
VirusRemover2008 is phony anti-spyware software designed to extort money from computer users who make the mistake of purchasing the full VirusRemover2008 program. It is a very big mistake if you even download and install VirusRemover2008 because you run the risk of damaging your computer.
VirusRemover2008 or Virus Remover 2008, has nothing to do with removing parasites from your computer. VirusRemover2008 is all about taking your money in return for a useless program that may cause havoc on your system. VirusRemover2008 may be installed without your permission through a Trojan infection.
In non-techie terms: Ultimately, VirusRemover2008 tries its best to convince you that you need the full version of VirusRemover2008 to remove parasites that it found on your computer. Do not believe that BS. VirusRemover2008 is worthless and a complete waste of your time. VirusRemover2008 should be called VirusCREATOR2008 because it is on the verge of being a bothersome virus. VirusRemover2008 is also known to come directly from VirusRemover2008.com which is a malicious website that should always be avoided.
Have you experienced any programs such as VirusRemover2008 being installed on your computer without your permission? Tell us your story and how you got rid of it.
Aliases: VirusRemover2008, Virus Remover 2008, VirusRemover 2008, VirusRemover2008.com.
VirusRemover2008 screen shot image:
Do you know
what My Supervisor 2009 is?
My Supervisor 2009
is a fake anti-spyware program that could be
running in the wild as we speak. My Supervisor
2009, like other rogue anti-spyware programs,
does many malicious actions to get computer
users to purchase a license to the My Supervisor
2009 program. Owning a license to My Supervisor
2009 is like having a driver’s license with no
car, pretty much worthless.
My Supervisor 2009 claims to be able to
detect and remove parasites from your computer.
It does not. My Supervisor 2009 is basically
junk when it comes to detecting and removing
spyware or any other type or malware.
In non-techie terms:
My Supervisor 2009 should never be purchased
under any circumstances. My Supervisor 2009 is
complete rubbish and it should be treated that
way if you ever find that it is installed on
your computer. My Supervisor 2009 could have
entered onto your computer from a Trojan or from
a malicious website that advertises the My
Supervisor 2009 program.