COMPUTER VRIUSES
Project 6 TECHNOLOGY
Select one of the six topics listed below and then find a minimum of five web pages that provide information on your topic. Using the information you find, write a two-page report in a new Word document. Be sure to cite each source. Save the document.
- Fuzzy logic
- Virtual reality
- Artificial intelligence
- Neural networks
- Speech recognition software
- Computer viruses
- Online learning
You are probably asking what is a computer virus and spy wear. Well for those that don't know a computer virus is it is a
Programming code that was designed to do something usually counterproductive and occasionally destructive, whether through ignorance or malice. A virus makes copies of itself without any conscious human intervention. Some viruses do more than simply replicate themselves; they might display messages, install other software or files, delete software of files, etc. A virus requires the presence of some other program to replicate itself. Typically viruses spread by attaching themselves to programs and files. For example, the file formats for Microsoft word processor and spreadsheet programs allow the inclusion of programs called "macros" which can in some cases be a breeding ground for viruses.
University Of Arkansas. Tribal Justice Information Sharing System. Arkansas USA: University Of Arkansas. 25 May 2004 http://www.tjiss.net/glossary_v.html 21 May 2006.
Spyware is
Any software that covertly gathers user information through the user's Internet connection without his or her knowledge, usually for advertising purposes. Spyware applications are typically bundled as a hidden component of freeware or shareware programs that can be downloaded from the Internet. Once installed, the spyware monitors user activity on the Internet and transmits that information in the background to someone else. Spyware can also gather information about e-mail addresses and even passwords and credit card numbers. Also called adware.
University Of Arkansas. Tribal Justice Information Sharing System. Arkansas USA: University Of Arkansas. 25 May 2004 http://www.tjiss.net/glossary_v.html 21 May 2006.
So now that we know what a virus is and what spyware is. Your next question is how did I get infected in the first place? Well this can depend on many things. Most of the time you get infected with a virus or spy wear is because your security settings are low, even if they are as high as they can be, virus and spy wear can still sneak into your system. Other times you could have gotten infected from that email that Aunt Sue sent you with that large attachment of a picture that you downloaded to your hard drive and now your computer is acting weird. What about that music CD that Jimmy Bob burnt for you and now you are playing it on your computer. After you took it out of your computer it began to act sluggish. Or what about that cool free game, that you know you would have to pay for it to use it. But you found it online for free and you downloaded it to your computer. You can also get a virus or spyware from downloading music or other files from a P2P (Peer to Peer) network. Some such P2P programs are LimeWire, BearShare, Shearza, eMule, and Kazza. Even using the Internet can lead you into a world of trouble. With those flash banners that say "Click Me," "Click Me." Those banners work when you click them. Sure they will open up a cool web page with a lot of flash adds and such. But they will also secretly download programs to your hard drive. These programs when opened are filled with viruses and spyware that are unleashed onto your system.
You can also get infected by the use of thumb drives, zip drives, DVD's, even the
3 ½ floppy that some may still use. You can't get infected if you just use them. But what if you have a file on one of those that Arron needs? So you borrow it to him, and when you get it back you use it on your computer. And after you take it out there are suddenly a lot of pop ups on your computer. In a network if the server computer gets a virus all the computers that it is serving gets the same virus.
In general computer viruses and spyware are every bit as destructive, and come in a vast variety of strains. However, computer viruses are almost always curable diagnosed, and cures for new strains are usually just a matter of days, not months or years. In the fallowing paragraphs I will tell you how to remove the viruses and spyware on your computer for free. That is right for free.
You don't need to take your computer back to the story where you bought it form or even go the story to buy the programs that you need to remove them. All the programs mentioned in this essay are free of charge and are guaranteed to be virus and spyware free. The most important thing I need you to do is make sure that you fallow these next steps in the order they are given.
Peperation
The first thing you need to do is scan your computer with CleanUp! Clean up is a free utility that will remove cookies (tracking devices) and your Internet history from your computer.
1) Download CleanUp! from this site:http://www.stevengou...p/CleanUp40.exe
2) Close all open windows including your Internet browser.
3) Open CleanUp! by double-clicking the icon on your desktop, It will launch
4) You should see a CleanUp! button that when clicked will play a sound file of a toilet flushing. At the end of the scan it will ask you log off or restart your computer, do so.
5) You then will almost have a computer free of cookies and your Internet history will be erased.
6) Close and restart your computer.
Spyware and Adaware Removal
The second step is to scan your computer with Ad-aware SE. This step will try to remove spyware and it also will take off the reaming cookies on your machine.
1) Download Ad-aware SE from this site http://lavasoft.elem...pport/download/.
2) Install it by clicking on the icon on the desktop
3) Run the web update feature. Click on the Globe icon, Click connect, Click OK, Click Finish. (You have to be connected to the Internet for this step.)
4) Start the scan by clicking on the " Scan Now" button. Select the "Search for low-risk threats." Also select the "Perform Full System Scan"
5) Click Next, the scan will now be performed,6) When the scan has completed, select Next.
7) In the Scanning Results window, select the "Scan Summary" tab. Check all objects found in the Critical Objects tab. Click Next, Click OK.
8) Close and restart your computer.
The third step in cleaning your system is to use Spybot Search & Destroy. Spybot S&D is almost the same as Ad-aware SE, but with a few differences. It is mostly for removing spyware and ad-ware.
1) Download a free copy form this site: http://www.geekstogo...=download&id=14
2) Install it by clicking on the icon on the desktop, or wherever you saved it.
3) Run the web update feature by clicking "Search For Updates" button. It then find updates. Check the check box and then click on the "Download Updates"
4) Next click "Search & Distort" on the left hand side bar. Then click on the "Check for Problems" It then will search for spyware
5) Click all that it finds and then click the "Fix Selected Problems"
6) Close and restart your computer.
Virus Removal
The fourth step is to run a online virus scanner, such as Trend Housecall. Even if you have a purchased virus scanner it is still a good idea to run a online one because the one installed on your computer could be corrupt with the spyware or viruses or both on your computer. The instruction on how to run it are on this site: http://housecall.tre.../start_corp.asp. Just be sure to check the "Auto Clean" check box.
If you don't have any antivirus software installed on your computer, or if your subscription to definition updates has expired. Install AVG's very good, easy to use, and free version of antivirus. This package includes real-time protection, scheduled scans, automatic definition updates, and email scanning. Get it from this site: http://esd.element5......m/freeweb.php
If you do have a virus scanner installed allready DO NOT install another one they will conflict and cause more problems.
Windows Update
An unprotected, unpatched Windows XP installation will get infected within minutes of connecting to the Internet. Because of this, I need you to do install all critical updates before proceeding to the next step. Get them from this site: http://www.windowsupdate.com/
Restart
The progrmas above will remove the pajority of spywear and viruses form your system. "Automated tools are not always successful at removing malware (spyware) from your system. Some infections may generate random files names, are too new, or use other tricks to avoid detection." says ditto form the Geeks To Go forums http://www.geekstogo.com/forum/You_Must_Read_This_Before_Posting_A_Hijackthis_Log-t2852.html finish quating this
Hijack This
Hijack this is a dangerous tool to use by yourself. That is why I'm providing you a link to forum's that look over the Hijack This logs, and tells you what to remove. Don't worry theses are trust worthy people. Hijack This is a dangerous tool because it looks for certain key areas of the Registry and Hard Drive and lists their contents. These are areas are used by both legitimate programmers and spyware and viruses. Some items are perfectly fine, and have to be there for your system to run. DO NOT try to desiver witch is legit and witch is not. I am including a link to a page that show you how to download and install Hijack This and how to produce a log on the GeeksToGo forum or on the Bleeping Computer forum. The link to the download page for Hijack This on GeeksToGo ishttp://www.geekstogo.com/forum/You_Must_Read_This_Before_Posting_A_Hijackthis_Log-t2852.html and the link to Bleeping Computer Hijack This on Bleeping Computer is http://www.bleepingc...topic34773.html. Go to those websites and fallow the directions there.
In conclusion all I have to say is fallow that above rules and watch what you download, read all the fine print because you can be agreeing to installing spyware on your system. Also be wherry off free stuff on the Internet.
Happy SAFE computing!
See i told you it is not all done .
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