Thread: Computer viruses: description, prevention, and recovery

INTRODUCTION:

This article discusses the following:

• How to determine whether your computer is contaminated with a computer virus, a worm, or a trojan
• How to recover from an contagion
• How to prevent future contagions from a computer virus

MORE INFORMATION:

What is a computer virus?

A computer virus is a software program that passes on from one computer to computer and interferes with its functions. A computer virus may corrupt or delete data in it, can use an e-mail program to pass on the virus, or even delete all the data on the hard disk.

Computer viruses are mostly passed on by attachments in e-mail messages or by instant messages. Thus, you must never open an e-mail attachment from an unknown messenger or unless you are expecting the e-mail. Computer viruses can be hidden as attachments of funny pictures, greeting, or even audio and video content. Computer viruses can also spread by downloads on the Internet. Computer viruses can be hidden in pirated software or in other files or programs that you may download.

Symptoms of a computer virus:

If you feel that your system might be infected by a virus, get any of the latest antivirus software. These are the few symptoms that your computer might be infected:

• The computer shut down automatically, and then restarts in few minutes.
• Applications on the computer do not work properly.
• You often see error messages.
• The computer gets slower than its regular speed.
• The computer does not respond, or locks up regularly.
• Disks or disk drives are not available.
• You cannot print substance properly.
• You see unclear menus and dialog boxes.
• There is a multiple extension on an attachment that you opened, i.e. a .jpg, .vs. .gif, or .exe. Extension.
• An antivirus program is discontinued without prior notice. And also, the antivirus program cannot be restarted.
• A program cannot be installed, or the program stops running.
• New icons pops up on the desktop that you did not keep there or the icons are not related with any programs installed recently.
• Sounds or music plays from the speakers all of a sudden.
• A program vanishes from the system though you did not delete the program intentionally.

When a computer virus starts infecting e-mails or other programs on your system. You may also notice the following symptoms:


* The infected file may duplicated on its own. This may occupy all the free space available on your disks.
* A copy of the infected file may pass on to all the addresses in an e-mail address list.
* The virus may also delete all the data on your system.
* Unnecessary contents, such as pirated software may be installed in your system because of virus. This pirated software may distribute.
* The computer virus may damage security system which might enable intruders to access the computer or the network for short period.
* You Get an email with a strange attachment. When you try to open the attachment, dialog boxes pops up, or a suddenly degradation can be noticed in the performance of your system.
* Someone informs you that they received an e-mail from you which contains files that you did not send. The files that are attached to the e-mail have extensions such as .exe, .bat, .scr, and .vbs extensions.

Symptoms that may be the result of ordinary Windows functions:

Following problems may occur due to a computer virus infection:

• System does not start even if you have not made any changes or installed or removed any new programs.
• There is regular modem activity. In case of an external modem, when the modem is not being used the lights will blink frequently. Pirated software might be supplied from your system without your knowledge.
• Windows stops responding because certain important system files are missing. In addition, you get an error message that informs you about the missing files.
• Sometimes the system works normally. But, most of the times, the system will stop responding even before taskbar and icons appear on the desktop.
• The computer works slowly. And also, the computer takes longer time to start then usual.
• You get error messages that you are out-of-memory or low-on-memory even though the system has sufficient RAM.
• Programs which have been installed recently may not work properly.
• Windows restarts all of a sudden.
• Programs do not respond properly. The problem continues even after reinstalling the programs.
• A disk utility reports multiple errors.
• A division vanishes.
• The system responds negatively when you use certain programs.
• You cannot run Windows Task Manager.
• Antivirus software detects virus in your system.

How to remove a computer virus:

Removing a virus from a computer can be a difficult even for an expert without virus removal tools. Certain viruses and unwanted software’s, like spyware, install themselves again after detection and removal of the virus. But fortunately, you can permanently remove unwanted software’s and viruses by updating your computer and using proper antivirus tools.

To follow these steps, remove virus from your computer:

1. Install the recent antivirus on your computer.
2. Update the already installed antivirus software in your system. After that, thoroughly scan your computer by using the updated antivirus software.
3. Download the latest Virus Removal Software Tool from the internet to remove viruses from your computer.