The Dirty Truth About Computer Viruses

Everyone’s gotten one. And everyone wants to know how and why it happened.

While those answers are difficult to pinpoint, most viruses and malware come from three sources.  The first is spam. These garbage e-mails generally try to sell you a pharmaceutical product, sign you up for a Web site or service, or hook you with some other interest. Some spam, however, contains viruses and malware. Simply hit delete and never open these e-mails. Don’t even respond with a removal request as that lets the spammer know he has a valid address to which to send more junk. Always, however, use a good e-mail virus scanner and anti-spam protection.

The second source is infected Web sites.  It is not uncommon for safe looking sites to be infected with malware. It gains access to your computer just by visiting the site.  Your best defense is to update your web browser fully and only visit sites that you believe are safe.  If you have a concern about a site, avoid it.

The third source of infection is file sharing through software like BitTorrent and Limewire. Sharing files with other Internet users carries huge risks of infection.  You may think you are downloading just a song or video, but you’re likely welcoming a virus into your home with open arms.  Simply avoid these services.

There are also three main reasons viruses are written.  The first is to infect your computer and use it to send spam e-mail to others. Using your computer as a host makes it more difficult to trace spam back to the actual sender.

Second, viruses sometimes masquerade as antivirus programs. They bombard you with messages that you have an infection and request payment before the program can remove the “virus.” The virus writer’s goal, however, is to get your credit card number and use it as much as possible before you notice.

Last, some viruses actively track and record what you do and type.  These individuals hope to capture your online banking or credit card/shopping information. Such information can do tremendous financial damage.

Knowledge is power. The better you understand your computer and the bleaker sides of the Internet, the better protected you will be from the bad guys.

By Chon Nguyen

Nguyen is a tech troubleshooter and owner of Digital Aspire at www.digitalaspire.com.