Question 1

WHAT IS A COMPUTER VIRUS?

Accepted Answer

Computer viruses are malicious programs that are designed to spread in computer software; just think of a flu virus that can spread in our systems and from person to person. And like those viruses, computer viruses copy themselves in your files, hard drive and removable disks. The most insidious aspect of a computer virus is that you probably don’t know it’s in your computer’s system unless something goes terribly wrong.

Question 2

WHAT KINDS OF FILES CAN SPREAD COMPUTER VIRUSES?

Accepted Answer

Viruses are capable of infecting any type of code and program files in your computer. In your disks or system areas of your hard drive, viruses infect what is called “executable” code, which is the software language that tells your computer’s hardware what to do.  You need to look out for macro viruses that spread through word processing or spreadsheet documents using macros. JavaScript, .exe program files or Word .doc files, which your computer will actually try to execute, are problem areas for computer viruses or malware.  The good news is that many files are safe because they contain only pure data such as text, graphics and sound. Just viewing or listening to gif, .jpg, .mp3 or .wav files won’t release a virus into your computer.

Question 3

HOW DO VIRUSES SPREAD?

Accepted Answer

When your computer uses code that carries instructions to its hard drive, any hidden virus code also runs with it. Then the virus infects other programs on your computer and spreads to any other computers connected to your network. And the virus keeps on trying to infect other programs and computers. Boot sector viruses may copy itself in the system areas of your hard disk.  If you share infected files over networks or portable drives and memory cards, you are sharing the viruses with other computers too. To protect your computer and others, make sure your antivirus software is up to date and capable of handling all types of malicious codes such as Trojans, spyware, adware and ransomware.

Question 4

WHAT DO VIRUSES DO TO COMPUTERS?

Accepted Answer

Viruses are basically software created by a programmer for whatever purpose they have written into the code, from just seeing how far the virus can spread the virus to purposely damaging files. Spyware viruses are a security threat for both home and commercial computer systems.  The one thing a virus can’t do is actually destroy the computer (hardware) itself. Rumors about viruses that eat your hard drive or burn up your monitor are untrue.

Question 5

WHAT IS A TROJAN HORSE PROGRAM?

Accepted Answer

A Trojan horse in computer language is not a virus but related to viruses by being an often harmful program. Trojan horse programs got their name because they pretend to be other computer programs such as games, file sharing programs or even an email attachment. Just opening or downloading a Trojan horse file won’t activate it but running it will – playing the game or opening a spreadsheet in Excel.  You need to be aware of Trojan horse programs because they can delete your files or crash your computer system. At their worst, these programs are used for can be used to steal your passwords or to commit electronic money theft.

Question 6

WHAT’S THE STORY ON VIRUSES AND EMAIL?

Accepted Answer

The good news is that just reading an email message in plain text won’t let a virus loose in your computer. The bad news is opening an executable file attachment, such as an encoded program file or a Word document containing macros, can infect your computer.  The best advice is to never open an attachment sent in an email from an unknown or suspicious sender. Investing in a reliable security package with email scanning is another defence against email viruses.  For more information on our services or to schedule an appointment in your home or office for virus or malware removal across Winnipeg and surrounding areas, contact us today! You can also learn more about spyware and computer secure from the respective links given below: https://blokt.com/guides/what-is-spyware  https://www.kaspersky.ca/

MALWARE REMOVAL: FAQS FROM ANTECH COMPUTER SERVICES INC.