In this series, Nicky Hockly explains aspects of technology which some people may be embarrassed to confess that they don’t really understand. In this article, she explores threats to our computers.
1 I’ve heard of viruses, worms, Trojans … Are these all the same thing?
A virus, a worm and a Trojan horse are all examples of ‘malware’ – malicious software that can do a lot of damage to your computer. A virus attaches itself to a program, and when you (usually unwittingly!) run the program, the virus is activated on your computer. Viruses are most commonly spread as files attached to email messages, or by users sharing already infected files (eg a Word document). A worm is similar to a virus, but it has the capacity to replicate itself. If you get a worm on your computer, it can send out thousands of copies of itself, for example to all the contacts in your email address book. Some worms even have the capacity to insert themselves into your system and allow another user to control your computer remotely. A Trojan horse (named after the Trojan horse in Greek mythology) is designed to fool youinto opening it. It may come disguised as what seems to be a useful piece of software for you to download from the internet, or an interesting link for you to click on, or as an important file for you to open. Some Trojans just have annoying effects like changing the look of your desktop, but others can be far more destructive, such as allowing other users access to your computer. Although there are differences between a virus, a worm and a Trojan horse, we usually refer to them all as viruses. If you follow the advice in this article, you should be able to remain virus free …
2 This already sounds very scary! Any more of these viruses I need to know about?
You’ve probably heard of spyware – computer programs that install themselves on your computer without your knowledge or permission, then surreptitiously monitor your computer use (such as the websites you visit), and report this to third parties. Spyware designed to serve advertising purposes (such as tracking what sites you visit, or what products you buy online) is called adware. Spyware can be installed on your computer when you download a new program, or if you click on links, eg in some pop-up windows.
3 Is no one safe? What can I do to avoid viruses and spyware?
It’s certainly true that no one is safe! The average time it takes for an unprotected computer to be infected by a virus is about 20 minutes. But don’t panic. There are several very effective things you can do to protect yourself against viruses. The first, and it is absolutely vital, is to have up-to-date antivirus software installed on your computer. There are free antivirus programs available, such as AVG (free.avg.com) or Avast (www.avast.com), and there are pay-for services such as BitDefender (www.bitdefender.com), Panda (www.pandasecurity.com) or Norton (www.symantec.com/norton/antivirus).
Good antivirus software will also block spyware, but if you use free antivirus software, you may also need to install separate anti-spyware. Two free recommended programs for this are Spybot (www.safer-networking.org) and Adaware (www.lavasoft.com).
Having antivirus software installed on your program is an essential first step, but you must also ensure that your antivirus software updates every day, because new viruses are appearing all the time. You also need to ensure your antivirus scans your computer for viruses regularly (I do this daily). Your antivirus software settings will allow you to program updates and scans automatically.
4 So all I need is some up-todate antivirus software? Right?
This is definitely an essential first step. But there are a few other basic things that you can do that will minimise the chances of your getting a virus:
- Never open an email attachment or click on links from people you don’t know. If you receive an unexpected or strangely-named file from someone you know, first check by email or phone that this is a legitimate file, or run your antivirus software on the file before opening it (most antivirus programs will allow you to right-click on an unopened file and scan it). Most dangerous are executable files (those that can be run as programs by your computer), which will have extensions such as .exe, .com or .vbs, and these days viruses can even come in graphic image files (eg .jpg).
- The same goes for instant messaging – an instant message from someone you know with a link in it should be treated with caution! Unless you know exactly what the link refers to, and are expecting it, ignore it, and let your friend know about the message. If your friend is indeed having strange messages sent out in their name, changing their messenger password should get rid of the problem.
- Don’t download illegal software, which is often virus-ridden. For any apparently legal software that you download, get into the habit of first saving the downloaded file, then right-clicking on it and running your antivirus scan, and only then running the program. Call me paranoid, but I do this with every single file I ever download from the internet, no matter how legitimate it may seem to be!
- If you are using a PC with a Windows operating system, make sure that you regularly download any system updates. Mac computer users have far fewer issues with viruses.
- Viruses are often passed on via pen drives, or memory sticks (external USB drives). Make sure your antivirus software is up to date before you plug in a memory stick, and if you want to be extra safe, right-click and scan the drive with your antivirus software before opening it.
- Finally, and this may be one of the most important things you do, educate any other people who regularly use your computer (such as your children, partner or work colleagues) on the basic things to do and to avoid, as outlined above.
5 And if I get a virus? What can I do?
Of course, prevention is better than cure, and the problem with getting a virus is that it will often disable your antivirus software, making it much harder to get rid of! But if you are unfortunate enough to get one on your computer, here are a few things to try:
- If you get a specific message on your screen generated by the virus, or a specific icon, use Google (from another computer!) to describe the symptoms and to see if there are any solutions available on the internet. For some viruses, antivirus software companies will produce a quick downloadable fix for you to get rid of it. This is usually provided for free, in the hope that you will then buy their software.
- If the virus has disabled your antivirus software, try booting into safe mode (starting up your computer up in safe mode with no programs running or internet access). You can usually boot into safe mode using a function key (for example, in Windows XP by pressing F8), or you can Google the phrase ‘how to boot into safe mode in [Vista]’ if you are unsure how to do it for your operating system. If you know the file name of the virus, you can then manually search for and uninstall it in safe mode.
- If you are using a PC, the Windows operating system has ‘restore points’, which means that you can go back to a certain date in the past, and restore everything that was on your computer at that date. Anything that has been installed or created since that date will be deleted. Remember that this means you will lose any work (eg files that you have created) since the restore date. Google the phrase ‘Windows restore points [XP]’ to find out how to do this for your operating system.
- If you don’t feel confident about trying any of the solutions above, take your computer to a professional!
In the end, practising ‘safe computing’ is not only good for you, your computer and your work, but also part of being a responsible computer user and internet citizen. Once your computer is infected, it’s highly likely that you’ll pass that infection on to others and spread it even further. Just as washing hands and avoiding direct contract with people when you have the ’flu is advised, as soon as you notice a computer infection, disconnect from the net and clean up before you share any of your data with anyone else – and that includes writing an email to a friend asking for help!
Doing a proper clean up will guarantee you are infection free, but also that you have closed any ‘back doors’ which may have been opened, allowing remote users to connect to your computer and use its resources and internet connection for malicious ends. These ‘zombie armies’ of computers are responsible for many of the epidemics we see every year and contribute much to the annoying spam mail which currently makes up around 80 per cent of all mail sent on a daily basis. So, don’t be a zombie – keep your computer clean!
Nicky Hockly has been involved in EFL teaching and teacher training since 1987. She is Director of Pedagogy of The Consultants-E, an online training and development consultancy. Nicky is co-author of How to Teach English with Technology (Pearson) and Learning English as a Foreign Language for Dummies (John Wiley & Sons).
This article first appeared in issue 67 of English Teaching professional, March 2010.
