Computer Viruses and Hoaxes
New computer viruses arrive daily. There are a few practical steps that everyone can take to help keep computers safe.
First, be sure that your computer has updated anti-virus software installed. All modern anti-virus software can be configured for automatic updates. If your computer is using VirusScan, the “About…” menu item should report a Scan Engine of 4.1.40 and a virus definition creation date within one week of the current date. Ask your school’s computing help desk for assistance in configuring your software if you need it.
Many computer viruses arrive as e-mail attachments. Use caution when opening attachments. For example, if your co-worker routinely sends you Excel spreadsheets which you collaborate on, you would expect to open those. But if the same associate sends you a Visual Basic script (a file whose name ends with .vbs), DON’T OPEN IT! It’s probably a virus. Use the good old-fashioned telephone to call and confirm that your co-worker meant to send you an unusual attachment. In general, never open an email attachment unless you know what it is — even if it comes from someone you know and trust: many viruses exploit innocent users and computers to spread themselves.
Another problem is virus hoaxes. Whenever you see a message informing you to e-mail “everyone you know”, it’s probably a hoax. It may even be carrying a virus. DON’T e-mail everyone you know. Instead check with your computing support help desk, or check the Web for hoax reports. Places to check include:
- http://www.fsecure.com/virus-info/hoax/
- http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/vinfodb.html
- http://vil.nai.com/VIL/hoaxes.asp
Links on these pages to commercial Web sites do not represent endorsement by the University of California or its affiliates.