714 9th Street
Suite G3
below Bean Traders
919.314.3327
M-F 9-4, Weds til 6:30
9-1 Sat

Seminar Notes: Viruses

Virus Protection 
At A Glance

Know current Risks 
Spyware
Malware such as Viruses, Trojans and Worms

Don’t take unnecessary risks:
Be selective
Be sure what about you’re clicking on
Don’t believe everything you read
Don’t download/share for free (it’s illegal)
Avoid/use with caution gaming, social, and other sites
Use caution with WIFI

Secure your network
Use Virus Protection
Use system restore

And if the worst happens:
 Reinstall
Have a Disk Image 
Backup, Backup,Backup
Standardize
Seek Help from PROs

Plan to attend our next FREE seminar on 
February 16, 2011
12-1pm

THIS MONTH'S TOPIC:

Backups
with special presentation by
Brian Scott of Aggie Technologies

All seminars held on the bottom floor of 
The Regulator Bookstore, 720 Ninth Street, Durham NC. Seating is limited, so please arrive a few minutes early.
So You're Not A Geek Seminar Series
January 2011: Virus Protection

Almost since the introduction of the first personal computer,  there has been one aspect of computer use that causes any one of us high anxiety - COMPUTER VIRUSES. While the form taken by these malicious programs has changed over the years, the effects essentially remain the same. DAMAGE, INCONVENIENCE, and UNWANTED MEDIA are just some of the results of infection. And now, with the extensive use of the Internet to transfer information, infection by these pesky programs has become all too common. 

So what’s an average computer user to do?

First, educate yourself as to the types of viruses there are; 
Second, exercise a little caution in your computer use, and; 
Third, protect yourself. 

Know the Risks: 
Viruses these days take several forms: Spyware, and malware such as trojans and worms. Here are a few definitions:

Spyware- these programs collect information about your computer and send it to a 3rd party, usually for profit. The information can include keystrokes, browsing, and shopping habits. Spyware can be bundled with a software product, and can even be disguised as an update or application download. They are generally not self-propagating through email or the internet, but they can cause performance degradation, and have other 
effects such as search engine redirecting, replacing system files, and self-reinstallation when found. 

Malware- these are the more recognized forms of viruses. They are 
malicious, can be self-propagating, and infection can be as simple as opening or previewing an email or visiting the “wrong” kind of website. Generally they are extremely destructive, deleting files or granting access to private data. Some can even open a backdoor to a system or network, allowing remote access by unwanted visitors.


Trojans allow remote access, and usually don’t spread themselves; Viruses usually cause damage, and can self-propagate, or spread through indiscriminate 
information transfer;
Worms do not cause file 
damage, but rather consume memory or hard disk space and cause eventual performance problems. They almost always self-propagate, often in the background, making them very hard to detect.

Exercise Caution
So how can you prevent infection? 
Here’s a list of suggestions:
  • Don’t take risks. Be very selective about what you click on. Just because it looks “friendly” doesn’t mean it’s safe. And, if you get an unusual email from someone you know, confirm they sent it.
  • Be SURE of filenames Some viruses disguise hyperlinks to trick you into visiting an infected site. Before you click, hover over the address and make sure it’s what you expect. 
  • If it sounds too good to be true, IT IS. 
  • Don’t share music or movies for free. Some “Free” download or file-sharing software such as uTorrents or Limewire are a PERFECT environment for infection. Don’t do it - it’s illegal anyway.
  • CAUTION: Gaming, Social and other sites are very popular infection platforms. Avoid them, and use your judgement - make sure safeguards are in place. Even Facebook is becoming treacherous…
  • Use caution when working wirelessly. Avoid unsecured networks if you can, to protect your 
  • passwords and other information
  • Turn on automatic system updates. Most software now offers this. Suck it up, and when you get an update notice, stop what you’re doing, and install. It’s worth the inconvenience.
Protect Yourself
  • Secure your home or office wireless network. The further down the line you can go as far as 
  • encryption goes, the better off you are. You must match your wireless card to the setting on your wireless router. 
  • Install virus protection. Detection/prevention, regular updates, alerts, and disaster recovery tools are all features of various packages. We can 
  • recommend these:
• Microsoft Security Essentials
• Spybot Search and Destroy
• Lavasoft Adaware
• Malwarebyte’s AntiMalware
• Kapersky’s Virus Removal Tool
BTW, Freeware can be just as good other software.
  • Use system restore points. Turn this feature on. If the worst happens, you can restore to a previous, uninfected version of your system software.
  • Create an image of your drive. This includes all required software. Save it externally. A 1-2TB USB hard drive works nicely. If your drive fails, you’ll be able to restore it.
  • Employ a backup system. Documents, music, photos, anything you would hate to lose. There are several options here, many online (and safe). 
  • Standardize your platform. For businesses, this allows infected hard drives to be swapped out for functioning drives with ease. Repairs will be less costly as well, especially when using business-quality machines.
Disaster Recovery
Try restoring your hard drive in this order:
  • Restore using a system resort point first.
  • Restore using a saved disk image.
  • Restore entire system, using original media (last resort)
You can follow these steps yourself, or consult with the professionals at The Computer Cellar. We’ll make sure you’re up and running smoothly in no time!



Computer Repairs and Sales

(919) 314-3327
714 9th St., Suite G3
Durham, NC  27705

 HOME ABOUT US  SERVICES  FOR SALE  CONTACT US  VISIT OUR BLOG 
Content copyright . The Computer Cellar. All rights reserved.
Web Hosting Companies