Tech Guides :: Information Security :: Viruses
Overview
Viruses - Viruses are computer programs that are designed to spread themselves from one file to another on a single computer. A virus can wreak havoc with software programs on your computer and render documents inaccessible or unusable. Viruses are spread when users share documents, such as sending email attachments infected with a virus or copying a document to a disk and inserting that disk into another user's computer. It usually takes the human element to spread the virus.
Worms - Worms are also computer programs but tend to be more malicious and insidious. A worm is designed to copy itself from one computer to others across a network, usually via email attachments. A worm can change file extensions (for example, .doc to.jpg) making the file unusable, delete files, restart itself each time the computer is rebooted and literally crash the user's computer.
For the sake of alerts and warnings, the words 'virus' and 'worm' have been used interchangeably.
There are two important points to keep in mind when using email: 1) Be careful about opening any attachments, even if it is from someone you know; and 2) Be sure you have current anti-virus software running on your computer checking incoming email messages.
Each time a new virus or worm is released via the Internet, almost immediately it is mimicked and improved upon and re-released. These are called variants. The ILOVEYOU worm had numerous variants including referrals for Mother's Day gifts and credit card purchases. It's difficult not to click on an attachment that alerts you to charges on your credit card, especially if you didn't purchase anything.
It is very important to maintain current anti-virus software and set it to automatically update the virus definition file frequently. New viruses come out every month, if not every week, and old definitions will not stop the new viruses.
