Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Viruses Infecting Your Computer

So originally for this post I was going to talk about cyber stalking as a transition from cyber bullying. However, while I was searching for articles about that topic my computer was infected by a virus. It said it was a Windows Efficiency Manager and it was trying to fight viruses, however it was quite the opposite. Therefore, I have decided to have to post pertain to security against viruses and what is really out there to protect your computer from these harmful bugs.
Ever since the increased use of the internet, viruses are more easily able to infect your computer. They can come from websites, emails, and pirated software. Fifteen out of every thousand PCs are hit by a virus each month, which is scary. There are several different types of viruses that can end up on your computer, including Trojan horses and worms. Trojan horse viruses look like computer programs, such as games or anti-virus, but actually infect your computer every time it runs. The worst part about this type is that some have the power to erase your hard drive. Worms on the other hand are “small pieces of software that uses computer networks and security holes to replicate itself” (HowStuffWorks). This differs from Trojan horse viruses because worms can replicate and Trojan horses cannot.   
The easiest way to avoid contracting a virus is by not opening unknown emails or attachments. It is best to just delete the email when you see it. You cannot be infected unless the file is actually opened or unzipped. Another way to avoid is by not purchasing bootleg or pirated software. This ranges from movies to file sharing music.  Although it seems difficult to resist, considering the rising prices, it is definitely safer to purchase it the right way. The easiest way to protect your computer and your files however, is simply downloading an anti-virus or anti-spyware software. There are plenty of them out there and they are proven to work. Although some cost more money than others, it is worth it in order to avoid the ultimate cost you could pay in the end.
Securing your computer from viruses is extremely important. Many people don’t back up their files, and therefore everything could be gone in an instant. I know that from now on I will definitely take these precautions and download anti-spyware software in order to protect myself from having this same situation happen to me in the future.


2 comments:

  1. I like this blog post because it relates to when my computer was infected by some virus from an email I opened. Unfortunately it made my screen turn black and I couldn't access any of the information, photos, documents, etc for the next few months while it was being worked on. Viruses are adapting every day against spyware, just like an actual virus adapts to antivirual medicines. I'm hoping that spyware businesses like McAfee can keep up.

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  2. Yes.It is really important to be careful if there is unknown message or e-mail. Sometimes, people hide the virus on the video files or picture files that we want to download. However, the virus is going to be variable, and the anti- virus company cannot handle fully these. Consequently, only way is that we have to be careful ourselves.

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