I want to keep this article very simple and free of computer
jargon. Ok? So, please read this and if you do the very few
things suggested you will NEVER have a computer virus.
What is a computer virus? It’s a program that gets into
your computer, starts running on it’s own, and does
things you don’t want. Like what – like deleting
files; like sending itself to your friend’s addresses;
like waiting several months and then doing something. So it
can be bad. I’ve had friends lose everything on their
computers - all their programs and all their data because
they had a virus.
So read on and find out what you can do…
No you don’t need a ‘firewall’ (but it helps);
no you don’t even need anti-virus software (but it also
helps). All you need to do is two simple things:
1. Keep you email software updated. This is your first line
of defense.
2. Never click on an ATTACHMENT. a
That’s it! Simple, huh? Ok, read on for more details.
Sooner or later you WILL receive an email that contains a
computer virus. Perhaps you got one today with M-y-D-o-o-m
attached.
If you keep your email software updated, you CANNOT get a
virus just by opening or reading your email. This is true!
Many widespread virus hoaxes have circulated for years, claiming
that if you open an email with a certain Subject line, then
untold horrors will hit your computer. It’s just not
true.
A virus cannot jump out of your inbox and infect your computer
without some help from you! Here are some facts you should
know:
- Some emails have attached files, in addition to the message
body
- Email attachments can be good (photos, music) or bad (a
virus)
- It is safe to open and read the message of ANY email, even
if that email has an attached virus.
Remember, previously I said "IF YOU KEEP YOUR EMAIL SOFTWARE
UPDATED." If you have an old, unpatched copy of Microsoft
Outlook, then all bets are off.
So what is required to activate a virus that arrives in an
email attachment? It's as simple as clicking on the attachment.
Depending on your email program, this will either save the
file to your hard disk or launch the virus immediately. It
really is that simple... don't click on attachments and your
computer will be safe from computer viruses.
How can you tell the difference between good attachments and
those that contain a virus? In some cases, you can't. Anti-virus
software may help, but if the virus is very recent, your anti-virus
package may not be able to detect it yet. Here are some practical
tips to help you decide whether or not to open an attachment:
- If you get an email with an attachment from someone you
don't know, delete it. Your mother taught you to never take
candy from strangers, and you should behave the same with
email attachments.
- If you get an email with an attachment from a friend, don't
assume it's harmless! Many viruses spread by automatically
sending themselves to the addresses found in their address
books, and they often include something in the message body
that looks like a personal message from your friend. Unless
you are very computer savvy, and you can tell for sure from
the name of the attached file that it's not a virus, then
CALL or EMAIL your friend and ask if they meant to send you
an attachment.
- If they say yes, AND they can explain what it is (photos
of the family picnic, etc.) it should be safe to open the
attachment.
- If they say no, then obviously you should delete the message
and let them know THEY might be infected with a virus. It's
also quite likely that the virus didn't come from your friend
at all. Many viruses spoof the "From" address in
the emails, so it's hard to learn the true origin.
