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In some cases, a virus will execute
only a gentle "personality quirk,"
such as causing your computer to
make seemingly random bleeps
bleeps..
But a virus can be very destructive
destructive;; it
could =
= and render your
machine inoperable.
inoperable.
Keneral virus types
While there are thousands of
variations of viruses, most fall
into one of the following general
categories, each of which works
slightly differently.
differently.
r v
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sow antivirus software works v
Scanning software looks for a virus in one of
two ways
ways.. If it's a known virus (one that has
already been detected in the wild and has an
antidote written for it) the software will look
for the virus's signature -- a unique string of
bytes that identifies the virus like a fingerprint
-- and will zap it from your system system.. Most
scanning software will catch not only an initial
virus but many of its variants as well, since the
signature code usually remains intact.
intact.
In the case of new viruses for which no antidote has
been created, scanning software uses methods that
look for unusual virus like activity on your system.
system.
If the program sees any funny business, it
quarantines the questionable program and
broadcasts a warning to you about what the
program may be trying to do (such as modify your
Windows egistry)
egistry).. If you and the software think
the program may be a virus, you can send the
quarantined file to the antivirus vendor, where
researchers examine it, determine its signature,
name and catalog it, and release its antidote
antidote.. It's
now a known virus
virus..
If the virus never appears again --
which often happens when the virus is
too poorly written to spread -- then
vendors categorize the virus as
dormant.. But viruses are like
dormant
earthquakesvv The initial outbreak is
earthquakes
usually followed by aftershocks
aftershocks..
Variants (copycat viruses that emerge
in droves after the initial outbreak)
make up the bulk of known viruses
viruses..
ractice safe computing
The best way to protect yourself from viruses
is to avoid opening unexpected e-mail
attachments and downloads from unreliable
sources..
sources esist the urge to double-
double-click
everything in your mailbox
mailbox.. If you get a file
attachment and you aren't expecting one, e-
mail the person who sent it to you before you
open the attachment
attachment.. Ask them if they meant
to send you the file, what it is, and what it
should do
do..
mor added safety, you need to install
reliable antivirus scanning software and
download updates regularly
regularly.. Major
antivirus software vendors, including
Symantec, Network Associates, Computer
Associates, and Trend Micro, provide
regular updates.
updates. (Computer Associates'
InoculateIT is also free.
free.) Some of the
vendors also offer a service that will
automatically retrieve updates for you
from the company's Web site
site..
egular updates are essential.
essential.
esearchers at Computer Economics
estimate that 30 percent of small
businesses are vulnerable to viruses
either because they don't keep their
virus--scanning software updated or
virus
because they don't install it correctly.
correctly.