During our last discussion, we talked about worms and the havoc that they can create on unsuspecting victims. Now, let’s focus our attention on another area of self-replicating code, which, unlike worms, requires us, humans, to take some sort of action, like opening that email attachment that you have no business opening. Here, we’re referring to viruses and the damage that can be inflicted.
From movies such as Alien (remember that great table scene?), as well as our own experience of shaking hands with someone who has a cold, we know that viruses find a host and attach themselves. Viruses in the world of computers work in similar ways by spreading via removable storage, email, or web downloads - just to name a few transfer methods. And while the outcome may not be as devastating as in the Alien movie, viruses are capable of wreaking their own havoc.
One way to fight these viruses is to have updated antirvirus software. However, we must note that there’s some nasty software that’s capable of even attacking our antivirus software, thereby rendering its security measures inoperable. Yet, don’t be discouraged, antivirus software is still an effective tool and you should be sure that yours is running and up-to-date.
Another way to combat these virus writers is to educate people about how viruses spread. By not opening executable files, or downloading unknown programs, we might be able to fight some of these viruses. In addition, by understanding how viruses can affect our systems, either by crashes or sluggish performance, we can recognize signs of a virus infection.
As we know, unfortunately there are some purdy nasty ways that our computers can be harmed. By making sure that our antivirus software is up-to-date and taking a little time to educate ourselves about some of the signs of virusinfection, we might be able to mitigate the damage that can be done.
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