| Virus Security |
| Anti-virus software prevents your computer from being infected by a virus that can come from sources such as email, websites or downloaded files.
When you install anti-virus software, you must also keep it updated or it may not detect new viruses. Therefore, it is important to remember to regularly update the definition files to ensure that it has the most current list of viruses. |
| Anti-Virus Software |
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Anti-virus software is used to protect your computer from harmful viruses that can do real damage not only to your files and software but your hardware as well. Anti-virus software searches the contents of a file to see if it matches specific patterns called virus signatures, which are listed in the definition file. When a match is found, users are usually presented with the options to remove, quarantine or delete the infected file. |
| Please note: you must regularly update your anti virus software's definition files in order to get maximum protection! |
| Definition Files |
| A definition file contains list of virus signatures that needs to get updated regularly so all new viruses can be detected. When your anti-virus software scans your computer for viruses it checks against the definition file and if a match is found that means a virus has been detected on your system. |
| It's important that you update your definition files at least once a week since new definitions are generally released once a week. This will ensure your computer is protected against new computer virus threats. |
| Virus Hoaxes |
| Virus hoaxes are false warnings about computer viruses that don't exist. Someone writes a fake virus warning and spreads it anonymously via email. The warning gets forwarded, in some cases to thousands or even tens of thousands of people generating inbox clutter, anxiety and unnecessary internet traffic. In the worst cases, virus hoaxes can choke mail systems because of the volume of email they generate. Fortunately, virus hoaxes tend to be easy to recognize and stop. Here are some common signs from the typical content of a hoax: |
"Not many people know about this virus" |
| This line or some variant of it is pretty much a dead giveaway. You won't see this in a legitimate virus warning. |
"This virus was just announced by [a major, well-known information technology company]" |
| Microsoft and IBM are the favourites here because the author of the hoax can be pretty sure you've heard of them and they're trying to sound legitimate. But does the message tell you where to find this "announcement"? Did Microsoft or IBM announce this virus? If you can't confirm what the message says, it's probably a hoax. |
"Please warn everyone you know! " |
| Almost all virus hoaxes will have a similar instruction because that's what the hoax author wants you to do; send out a lot of useless email messages! No legitimate virus warning will tell you to do this, so if you see this advice in a virus warning, don't do it! |
The warning is unsigned |
| Read the warning carefully to see if you can tell who originally wrote it. In most cases, you'll get a hoax from someone who got it from somebody else, who got it from somebody else, and so on. Virus hoaxes are often forwarded many times (this in itself is a strong indicator that it's a fake). The warning should be signed by a legitimate organization that originated the warning, and you should find and visit that organization's website to verify the existence of the virus. If you can't tell who the author is, chances are very good that it's a hoax . |
| If you get a virus warning in an email message and you're debating whether or not to pass it on, assess it against the signs above. If it has these characteristics break the chain, don't send it on. |
| If you discover a hoax reply to the person who sent you the warning and tell them they've been hoaxed, and should stop sending this message. |