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GuyanaNet | Virus Alerts
All virus treats are linked to Symantec Security Updates so that you get detailed, reliable and accurate information about the latest virus treats out there.
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What can I do to protect myself from viruses?
Viruses can infect your computer from several different sources, however two main sources are: 1. E-mail and 2. Surfing the web. Both of these sources can be kept in check by following a few simple rules and being aware of what you do while using your computer. E-mail The only way a virus can infect you via E-mail is through opening an attachment. First, make sure that the program you are using to check your E-mail (Outlook, Netscape Mail, GroupWise) does not automatically open attachments. The file extension on attachments is a good way to determine if the file is a virus:
- .EXE, .COM, .BAT - these files should be immediately suspect, even if received from a friend. A virus can easily mimic addresses. Additionally, executable files are nearly guaranteed to be dangerous if they are received from an unsolicited source.
- .VBS - This file is more than likely a virus.
- .DOC, .XLS - These are Microsoft Word and Excel files. These files could contain embedded macros that run a script as soon as you open the file. To protect yourself from insecure macros, within Word or Excel go to the Tools menu, then Options. Click on the General tab. Near the bottom is a box with the words "Macro virus protection" next to it. Verify that there is a check in that box. Then, whenever you try to open a document that contains a macro, Microsoft will caution you, and give you an option to view it without the macros.
Web surfing When you surf Web pages across the Internet, the computer stores various files, including cookies and cache, to your computer. These files may contain a virus. Additionally, when you are surfing the Web, you may get various pop up messages that, if clicked on, install malicious code onto your computer. Avoiding Problems and Keeping Your Computer Safe Install a virus checking software (McAfee VirusScan is free for Auburn students, staff and faculty). Keep it updated, and run virus checker regularly (at least weekly). You may choose to schedule automatic scans for the computer during the time you will not be using it. A program like Ad-Aware (available through Add/Remove Programs) is also good for removing malicious code on your computer. When you run virus checking software and/or a program like Ad-Aware, make sure they do "complete scans" of your hard drive. |
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