Antivirus

Anti-virus software can identify and block many viruses before they can infect your computer. Once you install anti-virus software, it is important to keep it up to date.

What does anti-virus software do?
Although details may vary between packages, anti-virus software scans files or your computer's memory for certain patterns that may indicate an infection. The patterns it looks for are based on the signatures, or definitions, of known viruses. Virus authors are continually releasing new and updated viruses, so it is important that you have the latest definitions installed on your computer. Once you have installed an anti-virus package, you should scan your entire computer periodically.
* Automatic scans - Depending what software you choose, you may be able to configure it to automatically scan specific files or directories and prompt you at set intervals to perform complete scans.
* Manual scans - It is also a good idea to manually scan files you receive from an outside source before opening them. This includes:
* Saving and scanning email attachments or web downloads rather than selecting the option to open them directly from the source
* Scanning floppy disks, CDs, or DVDs for viruses before opening any of the files


What happens if the software finds a virus?
Each package has its own method of response when it locates a virus, and the response may differ according to whether the software locates the virus during an automatic or a manual scan.
Sometimes, the software will produce a dialog box alerting you that it has found a virus and asking whether you want it to "clean" the file (to remove the virus). In other cases, the software may attempt to remove the virus without asking you first. When you select an anti-virus package, familiarize yourself with its features so you know what to expect.

Which software should you use?
There are many vendors who produce anti-virus software, and deciding which one to choose can be confusing. All anti-virus software performs the same function, so your decision may be driven by recommendations, particular features, availability, or price. See the references section for a link to a list of some anti-virus vendors. Installing any anti-virus software, regardless of which package you choose, increases your level of protection. Be careful, though, of email messages claiming to include anti-virus software. Some recent viruses arrive as an email supposedly from your ISP's technical support department, containing an attachment that claims to be anti-virus software. However, the attachment itself is in fact a virus, so you could become infected by opening it.


How do you get the current virus information?
This process may differ depending what product you choose, so find out what your anti-virus software requires.
Many anti-virus packages include an option to automatically receive updated virus definitions. Because new information is added frequently, it is a good idea to take advantage of this option. Resist believing email chain letters that claim that a well-known anti-virus vendor has recently detected the "worst virus in history" that will destroy your computer's hard drive. These emails are usually hoaxes. You can confirm virus information through your anti-virus vendor or through resources offered by other anti-virus vendors.
While installing anti-virus software is one of the easiest and most effective ways to protect your computer, it has its limitations. Because it relies on signatures, anti-virus software can only detect viruses that have signatures installed on your computer, so it is important to keep these signatures up to date. You will still be susceptible to viruses that circulate before the anti-virus vendors add their signatures, so continue to take other safety

Related articles...

For information about potential threats from different Computer Viruses, Worms, Trojan Horses etc and how to avoid, minimize or recover from the damage caused, please read the Sep, 2004 issue of our Monthly Newsletter.
For information on latest virus threats and some helpful links, please log on to Virus Info page of our website .
To download latest virus definitions, Virus Removal Tools and free Anti-virus softwares, please visit our Download Page .

Source: Compiled from online sources.

Note: WorldLink has made every possible effort to ensure that the information contained in the article above is correct. However, we do not accept any responsibility whatsoever for any damage caused by the application of the information contained herein.

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General tips on avoiding Virus Infections

The following are some good ways of stopping your computer from getting a computer virus infection:

• Turn off the feature that allows automatic opening of email attachments, never open attachments from unidentified sources or attachments you are not expecting.
• Always scan diskettes, CD's and any other removable media before using them.
• Always scan files downloaded from the Internet before using them
• Do not install any unapproved software on your computer.
• Make sure that your virus pattern files are updated.
• Make sure that your computer is patched with the latest security updates.
• Scan your computer on a habitual basis

Protect your "Computer's System" From Virus

Use 7 Tips

i) Use virus protection software: We recommend the use of anti-virus software on all Internet-connected computers. Be sure to keep your anti-virus software up-to-date. Many anti-virus packages support automatic updates of virus definitions. We recommend the use of these automatic updates when available.

ii) Use a firewall: We strongly recommend the use of some type of firewall product, such as a network appliance or a personal firewall software package. Intruders are constantly scanning home user systems for known vulnerabilities. Network firewalls (whether software or hardware-based) can provide some degree of protection against these attacks. However, no firewall can detect or stop all attacks, so it’s not sufficient to install a firewall and then ignore all other security measures.

iii) Don’t open unknown email attachments: Before opening any email attachments, be sure you know the source of the attachment. It is not enough that the mail originated from an address you recognize. The Melissa virus spread precisely because it originated from a familiar address. Malicious code might be distributed in amusing or enticing programs. If you must open an attachment before you can verify the source, we suggest the following procedure:
make sure your virus definitions are up-to-date (see "Use virus protection software" above)
save the file to your hard disk
scan the file using your antivirus software
open the file
For additional protection, you can disconnect your computer's network connection before opening the file. Following these steps will reduce, but not wholly eliminate, the chance that any malicious code contained in the attachment might spread from your computer to others.

iv) Don’t run programs of unknown origin: Never run a program unless you know it to be authored by a person or company that you trust. Also, don't send programs of unknown origin to your friends or coworkers simply because they are amusing -- they might contain a Trojan horse program. v) Keep all applications (including your operating system) patched: Vendors will usually release patches for their software when a vulnerability has been discovered. Most product documentation offers a method to get updates and patches. You should be able to obtain updates from the vendor's web site. Read the manuals or browse the vendor's web site for more information.
Some applications will automatically check for available updates, and many vendors offer automatic notification of updates via a mailing list. Look on your vendor's web site for information about automatic notification. If no mailing list or other automated notification mechanism is offered you may need to check periodically for updates.

vi) Make regular backups of critical data: Keep a copy of important files on removable media such as ZIP disks or recordable CD-ROM disks (CD-R or CD-RW disks). Use software backup tools if available, and store the backup disks somewhere away from the computer.

vii) Disable scripting features in email programs: Because many email programs use the same code as web browsers to display HTML, vulnerabilities that affect ActiveX, Java, and JavaScript are often applicable to email as well as web pages. Therefore, in addition to disabling scripting features in web browsers (see "Disable Java, JavaScript, and ActiveX if possible", above), we recommend that users also disable these features in their email programs.

viii) Turn off your computer or disconnect from the network when not in use: Turn off your computer or disconnect its Ethernet interface when you are not using it. An intruder cannot attack your computer if it is powered off or otherwise completely disconnected from the network.

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