This is your source for the latest
information about viruses designed to make your life miserable!
Click here
for the running chronology of viruses making the rounds on the Internet...and
hopefully keep you from falling prey to the latest strain of cyber-destruction.
I know all about Urban Legend
Viruses...it seems like I get at
least a dozen bogus Virus Alerts a week. But this particular
section of my site is designed to try to help you avoid screwing
up your computer--or the computer of everyone you've ever written
to our put in your Address Book.
First off, some ground rules: You need to get off
your butt and make sure you've got some decent anti-virus software
on your computer. And it's not enough to just install this
software...you've got to maintain it. There are thousands of
new "strains" of computer viruses surfacing every month.
If you don't update your software on a semi-regular basis, it's
sorta like reading a newspaper from last year. UPDATE your
software at least once every other week!
Second: What type of virus software should you
acquire? There's pretty good stuff out there that's
reasonably priced: Norton, McAfee and Black ICE [if you have an
"always-on" Internet connection like a cable modem or
DSL service]. Do your homework: www.zdnet.com
is a great reference site for evaluating all of your
software needs.
Third: Wise up! Some of the most
destructive viruses out there running the Internet today succeed
because they play off of the Address Book of the victims'
computers. I can't tell you how many times I've heard: "But
I opened the e-mail because it was from a friend of mine that I
trust!" Wise up! Trust no
one--especially when it comes to e-mail!!!
If you receive an e-mail from someone with ANY type of attachment,
don't open it. Anything that requires you to
"open" any attached document [many times containing .vbs
scripting or other malicious execution files/programs/routines] is
an open invitation to kiss your computer goodbye.
FOURTH: When was the last time you
"backed up" everything on your computer? I already know
the answer, so I'll save the energy it takes to brow-beat you and
suggest you get off your butt and get pro-active in this
all-important area. With the cost of CD burners or Zip
drives plummeting, there's no excuse. Wanna
deal? Another no-brainer pick from Ben; for
educated assistance at a price you can afford: www.takeithomecomputers.com
FIFTH: These anti-virus programs are dirt
cheap, so you've got zero excuses there. But they do
you absolutely NO GOOD if you don't update them [they're
called virus definitions] every single day. It's not tough, all you have
to do is sign on line and click on the appropriate icon for your particular
anti-virus program [I use Symantec/Norton because I think they're the best]
and your computer will automatically download all of the newest
"fixes" for the latest, devious viruses running the 'Net. If
you aren't updating your anti-virus definitions, you're a lazy fool.
Think of it this way: If you bought an insurance policy and only made the
first month's payment, the company would cancel you and you wouldn't be
covered. Same logic goes here: You've GOT
to update your anti-virus program every single time you sign on-line, once a
day is fine. If you won't do it for yourself, at least show some
courtesy for everyone in your e-mail address book and protect them from potential
cyber-dangers. Another no-brainer pick from Ben; for educated assistance
[especially if you're already infected!!!] at a price you can afford: www.takeithomecomputers.com
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