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Spyware, Viruses & Worms

1.0 Introduction

Spyware, viruses and worms have all become common annoyances while braving the wilds of the global Internet. They come running out of the cracks from emails, web pages, download software and sometimes from nowhere at all. Causing data loss, computer instability and information gathering of the user’s activities.

All this can be avoided and this document will cover some basic topics on how to prevent infections from this software.

2.0 What are they?

These software programs are design for a specific activity on a target computer, with the programs activities generally concealed from the user. Then activities that these programs accomplish on your machine are frequently malicious or at best annoying.

  • Spyware
    Any software that covertly gathers information about a user while he/she navigates the Internet and transmits the information to an individual or company that uses it for marketing or other purposes; also called Adware. They are often spread by Emails, downloads and web pages.

  • Virus
    A program that searches out other programs and `infects' them by embedding a copy of itself in them, so that they become Trojan horses. When these programs are executed, the embedded virus is executed too, thus propagating the `infection'. This normally happens invisibly to the user. They are often spread by Emails, downloads and web pages.

  • Worms
    A program that propagates itself over a network, looking for vulnerable computers to infect. The worm then `infects' them by embedding a copy of itself in some software, so that they become Trojan horses. It then precedes reproducing itself and spreads further across a network. They are most often spread by direct connections to the Internet.


3.0 How to Help Protect my Computer

There are a few steps you can take to protect yourself from Virus, Worms and Spyware. Mainly, it requires some extra software and some good computer security habits to guard against them. Just follow the few steps listed below to protect your computer and information.

  1. Keep your system operating system updated and patched.
    Always keep your system up-to-date with the latest security patches for your operating system, email programs and web browser. Virus, spyware and worms often use common security exploits in operating systems to infect them. These exploits can be patched from the vendor’s website, thus making your computer immune from the attack.

  2. Install and Keep you Antivirus and Spyware Scanner up-to-date.
    Install a virus and spyware scanner on your computer system to check and protect your computer. Keep updating your antivirus and spyware scanner everyday or set to auto-update. Viruses and spyware come out almost every day, so keep protected.

  3. Install a Firewall
    Install a firewall on your computer system to protect against worms and spyware from the Internet.

  4. Use another browser than Microsoft Internet Explorer

Due to many security problems with Microsoft Internet Explorer, it is recommended to use a different browser program. Many spyware programs use holes in Microsoft Internet Explorer to infect you via web pages.


4.0 Software

There are many products available for protecting your computer system against Internet threats. Below we have listed a few examples of products for your computer.

Anti Virus Scanners

Anti Spyware Scanners

Firewalls

Non Microsoft Browsers


5.0 Can Linknet Help?

We currently have VET Antivirus available for purchase. A single license is $130.00 Inc GST, including installation of the software.

We also have Adware Professional available for purchase. This enterprise quality spyware scanner and blocker license is $130.00 Inc GST, including installation of the software.

Also keep a check on our homepage, with “The Latest Virus Threats” at http://www.linknet.com.au.


6.0 Common used Virus Terms

Antivirus software - a program which will identify and remove viruses.
Boot sector - hard disks, floppy disks and logical drives all have boot sectors. Many common viruses will attack the 'boot sector'.

Circular infection - this occurs when two viruses infect the boot sector. Disinfecting one virus generally causes a reinfection by the other virus.

Encryption - encryption viruses are the most difficult to detect, and use a brief 'encryption loop' at the start of the program which makes the program unusable.

False positive - this occurs when a virus scanner identifies an infected file which is not really infected.

Heuristics - a rule- based method of identifying new viruses. It does not rely on virus 'signatures' and is not fooled by new variants of existing viruses.

In the wild - a virus which is known to be spreading, as opposed to a virus which is "in the zoo", or not currently spreading.

Joke programs - a program which is not normally harmful, but interferes with the normal operation of the computer or a program. It is often mistaken for a virus.

Logic bomb - a virus which will execute itself when certain conditions are met. These are usually destructive.

Macro virus - a virus written in one of many macro languages. They spread by infected files, including documents, spreadsheets, databases or computer programs.

Malware - software which intentionally performs a destructive action to destroy or disrupt a system.

Memory resident - the virus resides in the computer's memory instead of on a disk.

Multi- partite - a highly infectious virus which infects both files and boot sectors.

Stealth virus - viruses which actively hide themselves while running and one of the first common identified viruses.

Trojan horse - a program which hides inside another program, usually an authorized program. It is frequently destructive.

Virus - an independent program which reproduces and may damage or corrupt data. It may also degrade system performance, and can attach itself to any executable file. It also infects boot sectors and partition sectors of hard disks or floppy disks.

Virus variant - a variation of a previously diagnosed virus.

Worm - a program which reproduces by copying itself over and over. They are self-contained and are generally spread via networks.