Author: Neftaly Malatjie

Many computer users believe free antivirus applications, such as those included with an Internet service provider’s bundled service offering, are sufficient to protect a computer from virus or spyware infection. However, such free anti-malware programs typically don’t provide adequate protection from the ever-growing list of threats.

Instead, all Windows users should install professional, business-grade antivirus software on their PCs. Pro-grade antivirus programs update more frequently throughout the day (thereby providing timely protection against fast-emerging vulnerabilities), protect against a wider range of threats (such as rootkits), and enable additional protective features (such as custom scans).

Preventing viruses

There are several steps a person can take to make sure these symptoms do not appear on their computer. These include:

• Modify behaviour – Most cybercriminals depend upon the ignorance of novice computer users to perpetrate their crimes. Become educated on how cyber-attacks can happen. Never open an e-mail from an unfamiliar sender, and never forward on any chain-type e-mails. Never give away login and password information, even if it seems to be coming from a reliable source. And if a claim on a Web site sounds too good to be true, it probably is – and is probably hiding a cybercriminal.

Although viruses are different from computer worms and Trojan horses, they have the ability to carry viruses and deposit them onto a computer. Here are some of the symptoms of an attack by a virus or a Trojan horse:

• One of the contacts in the computer user’s address book mentions that they received an e-mail from the user that they don’t remember sending. The e-mail may contain a link, or it came with an attachment with extensions such as .scr, .bat, .vbs, or .exe.
• After opening an attachment from an e-mail (especially with an extension listed above), there is a sudden drag on performance of the computer, or dialog boxes and error messages begin to appear.
• The computer begins to operate as if someone else is controlling it remotely.
• Software that the user did not install on the computer may suddenly appear.
• The hard disk may be reformatted, which will delete programs and files.
• Everyone in the user’s address book receives an e-mail with the infected file.
• All the free space on a hard disk is taken up after an infected file replicates itself.

Here are some examples of some symptoms that may be caused by a computer virus:

• A computer program disappears from its memory, especially if there is no known removal of the program.
• Unfamiliar music or sounds unexpectedly starts playing through the speakers.
• Icons appear on the desktop unrelated to any programs that are currently being installed, or new icons seem to appear when no software has been installed.
• An antivirus program will not run, or a new one will not install properly or at all.
• Previously installed antivirus programs will suddenly disable and cannot be restarted.
• Files that have been recently opened suddenly have more than one extension, such as .exe, .vbs, .gif, or .jpg.
• Dialog boxes and menus seem to be distorted or different.
• Unusual error messages will pop up.
• Items are not printing correctly.
• Disk drives or disks become inaccessible.
• An application or applications are not working correctly.
• The computer isn’t running as well as usual, or the computer reboots on its own.
• The computer restarts continuously.
• The computer locks up frequently or stops responding.
• The computer seems to be losing processing speed.

There’s an old expression that states: “There’s a reason that pencils have erasers.” It’s another way of saying that nobody’s perfect. A modern version of that saying could be: “There’s a reason antivirus software programs have cleanup tools.”

No matter how advanced an antivirus software program is, malware can still slip through all the defenses. Mostly, this is because cybercriminals are constantly looking for new ways to get past the best antivirus programs.

Whether a person is looking to purchase antivirus software to rid their computer of viruses, or because they think their current protection solution isn’t doing the job, it’s important to know what the symptoms of having malware on a computer are.