The "Conficker" virus was all the buzz earlier this month and many people were concerned they might become infected. Although "Conficker" was highly publicized there are numerous other virus, trojans, malware, spyware and worms that are worthy of your concern. One example is the W32/Scribble-A, or more commonly known as the "Scribble" virus. This virus damages the infected host files beyond repair and also downloads even more dangerous mal-ware in the background. "Scribble" and "Conficker" are well known viruses but there are hundreds of viruses released every month, and there are many ways your computer can become infected.

But what are the most common vectors of infection?

1. Pornographic Websites: They are out there, and they are plentiful, so it must be okay to look, right? Nope, sorry, they are a leading cause of infection for computers. There are a number of nasty infections lurking on these types of websites. In some cases simply mousing over a hyperlink can instantly infect your computer. Your best bet is to steer clear or pay the inevitable price.
2. Malicious Websites: Some websites have a dark and hidden purpose. For instance you may find a great program that promises to speed up your computer for free. While a free program that promises the world sounds
   great you need stop and ask yourself if it is too good to be true. We have seen some applications install a number of trojans that are known for gathering personal information and sending it out to be used for identity theft. In short, be mindful of the websites you are visiting and what you are downloading and installing.
3. Pop-Up Ads: While browsing the Internet you will encounter "pop-ups" or ads that simply pop up on your screen (hence the name). If you happen to be viewing a questionable website some of these adds may say something like "your computer is infected, click here to run a free scan" or "your antivirus is out of date, click here to download updates." Never click on any of these windows. Most of these pop-ups are simply a social engineering scheme that tricks a user into clicking and instantly infecting their computer.
4. Infected Email: We all get those emails commonly known as "spam." Unfortunately the annoyance of spam is not the only threat to your sanity. Many viruses can be hidden in an email. Often times they are concealed as attachments or at the opposite end of a harmless looking hyperlink. Use caution when opening an attachment or opening an email from someone you don't know.
5. Peer to Peer Downloads: Such as Kazaa and Limewire. As we have stated in our previous newsletter, Nothing on the Internet is Free, using these programs and other similar ones make it easy to download a virus or malware that is disguised as that new song that you want or a program that you think they charge too much for. Following the old rule "if it's too good to be true, then it probably is" really can save you time and money.
   
   

If your computer does get infected it could be very difficult to remove the virus and correct the damage it has caused. There are many tedious tasks required to clean out even the simplest infection. In some cases it's not worth the time and effort to clean out the infection and the best course of action is to re-format the hard drive and re-install Windows.

So how do you prevent damage to your computer from a nasty little virus?

1. Your best first line of defense is to be mindful of your actions and avoid unfamiliar websites and e-mail.
   
2. Be sure you have all of the latest Windows updates installed
   
3. Use a quality anti-virus and anti-malware product and configure it
   to automatically download and install updates
   
4. Run full anti-virus and anti-malware scans of your computer on a regular basis
   
   

While the steps listed above can help you minimize your computer's risk of infection there is no guarantee it will remain virus free. The only guaranteed way to protect your critical files such as pictures, Word documents and Excel spreadsheets is to back them up.

Now what if your computer does get infected, how will you fix it? Not sure if you are using the best anti-virus and anti-malware programs? Are those programs configured to update automatically? Want to know if your critical data is properly backed up? If you cannot answer these questions feel free to give Onsite Computer Systems a call today. Our experts will make sure you are well protected.