Viruses

[leichaolan]

Hi, I'm just wondering if you guys can tell me about how viruses work. Just some general stuff. I know little to nothing about it. Is it safe to be online without a virus protector? If I download a .exe file that's infected, but I don't open it, will I still get the virus? Just general virus faqs and stuff. thx

[Paleo Pete]

A virus is a program just like your web browser or word processor, but usually small and often malicious. Some are basically harmless, and only exist to replicate themselves. Others can cause serious problems. CIH for instance, can completely render your computer useless by overwriting the BIOS.

Most install an executable somewhere that loads on start up, and allows the virus to infect any executable file accessed until the virus is removed. Some work through email, usually included in attachments. They are harmless until the attchment is opened.

In the early days of computers and the Internet, most were spread by floppies, which is a good reason to write protect all floppies. Most users weren't connected to the Internet, so the most likely way for a virus to replicate was to copy itself to every floppy accessed on the machine. Soon as someone gave another user a floppy with a document file on it, the virus was spread to their machine. Now with the Internet being infinitely more popular, it seems email is the most common way to go.

Sophos (http://www.sophos.com/virusinfo/explained/) has a good page of info.

Trend Micro (http://housecall.antivirus.com/) has a good online scanner.

Many hoaxes are also being spread constantly, you can find out about them at Symantec (http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/hoax.html). They also have a good list of known virus threats.

McAffee (http://vil.mcafee.com/hoax.asp) also has a good list of hoaxes.

A Google (http://www.google.com) search will turn up plenty more.

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