The Impending Threat of Computer Viruses
A common threat to computers is the computer virus. If people, in general, could understand what a virus is exactly and what it is really capable of, know of the common myths or hoaxes, comprehend how viruses can infect, and know how to prevent and treat infection, viruses would not be seen as such a problem.
Real viruses only "purposely make programs do things you don't expect them to do." (Rosenberger) Even if a program replicates itself on disks, it is considered a virus. (Delger) Some viruses only annoy people. Some are actually funny, like the one recently discovered by certain students in our English class that will ask if the e-mail recipient needs a cup holder, then proceed to open the CD-Rom. However, these are not the programs we need to be concerned about. The majority of people are worried about the destructive types of viruses that can cause irreparable damage to the hard drive or even physically damage the computer.
Viruses are perhaps the worst of the dangers on the Internet, due to the fact that they do not need to infect one's computer to cause problems. The panic caused by virus alerts or warnings increases the probability that the people owning the computers fear turning them on to use them for the simple reason that the computer may be infected. This fear has resulted in the booming, but effective, anti-virus. However, Rob Rosenberger, an internationally recognized expert on viruses, recommends using the anti-virus as a second defense, only to good backup disks. The anti-virus should not be relied upon solely, because the possibility exists that they can sometimes miss a virus.
Contrary to popular belief, only about five hundred different viruses are actually presently in existence. Though many anti-virus companies speak of viruses in the thousands, many are only different strains of a commonly known virus. (Rosenberger) In many cases, the thousands may even be comprised of the innumerable hoaxes spread by e-mail.
Most virus warnings are actually hoaxes that are forwarded to no end by unsuspecting, but well-meaning, people trying to prevent their friends from obtaining such a virus. Many web sites currently exist where one can check such forwarded messages to verify whether or not they are hoaxes. The FBI also has their own specialized branch - the NIPC - that includes a web site with the purpose of issuing virus advisories to the public. The National Infrastructure Protection Center, or NIPC investigates the origin of many viruses in order to prevent such instances from happening again. Even so, Bill Machrone, a journalist for PC Magazine, claims that perhaps these e-mail hoaxes are themselves viruses because they waste valuable disk space by using it to store these warning messages. Even such e-mails as a certain company awarding thousands of dollars to those who participate in an e-mail forward that Microsoft is attempting to track are considered viruses. Those of us truly concerned about the threat of viruses can sign up for mailing lists to notify us of real viruses that could be a threat to our computers. However, the majority of experts seem to agree that e-mailed warnings almost never hold water.
Some people have even hyped the advent of a newer strain of a virus. A warning issued by the FBI on April 1, 2000, warned of a new strain of a worm (a certain type of a self-replicating virus) that "erases the contents of the victim's hard drive and then automatically uses the computer's modem to dial up 911 emergency systems." (McWilliams) However, Brian McWilliams questions if the FBI did not hype the release of the 911 worm. Even worse, Rosenberger states not to believe warnings issued on April Fools' Day, just because so many of these are April Fools' jokes. This virus has been found to be real, but has only a one in six chance of actually calling 911 from an infected computer. (ICSA) It also will delete files off of the drive. Personally, I would not worry too much about this particular virus, especially if I had good backups and an anti-virus. The risks of actually catching this virus are rather slim.
The myths spread about viruses are almost endless. A few of the more common are that viruses can be spread through e-mail, that some viruses hide, thereby preventing detection, even that viruses can infect numerous types of systems or write-protected floppies and CD-Roms. Of course, none of these are logical or possible. However, the myths still endure.
The impossibility of viruses spreading through e-mail is all to common sense for those of us who understand that viruses cannot be transferred through a text file. (Gerlitz) Viruses require some kind of downloading to find their way into our computers. Plain text e-mails cannot transfer a virus. However, those attachments are a different matter. If one opens an attachment, the computer must download the file before it can open the attachment. Those of us worried about receiving a virus through our own e-mail, need not worry if we only do not open attachments unless we know without a doubt that the e-mail is from a safe, reliable source meaning that the attachment itself could not possibly be infected.
Viruses simply do not hide. They were never designed for hiding. In fact, each virus contains its own personal "signature" that not only lets the virus itself recognize the virus, but also anti-virus software. (Rosenberger) This "signature" prevents the virus from re-infecting an already infected file. Therefore, the virus simply cannot hide itself from an anti-virus. The "signature" is a necessary part of its design.
Keep in mind, though, that "there is no such thing as a foolproof antivirus program. Viruses and other Trojan horses can be (and have been) designed to bypass them." (Rosenberger) Therefore, Rosenberger recommends an anti-virus as only a second line of defense.
Also, infection through several different systems is entirely impossible. Such an idea would be the equivalent of going to Africa and speaking English to the bushmen, expecting them to understand. They would not have any idea what anyone was saying if we spoke to them in English. Just like this, different computer systems use different languages. Our old Apple at home uses just plain old basic, but the newer IBM compatible use a much more complex language. Even on the Internet, Java is different from HTML. Therefore, why should we expect one language to be able to transfer a file to another language on another system? This myth is absolutely absurd.
If a diskette is write-protected, any computer will flat out refuse to copy anything on to the diskette. (Rosenberger) Computers will behave the same way with a write-protected CD-Rom. The name means exactly what it says. Write-protected means the diskette cannot be written or copied on to unless one is absolutely sure that the information should be copied. Then the tab can be flipped on a diskette, allowing the disk to take file copies. Until the little tab is switched, however, the diskette remains protected. This feature prevents accidental erasures or copying of a file not wanted on the diskette. Write-protection is also a very effective tool to prevent viruses from replicating on to the diskette. However, if the diskette received a virus while not being write-protected, then it is possible to infect a computer with this diskette. Some CDs even come directly from the factory with viruses on them. (Rosenberger)
These and many more myths exist about viruses. Dispelling them would be simple if everyone were readily convinced of such things. Nevertheless, if we who know better hold ourselves responsible to educate those people we care about, the fall of these myths should come rapidly. Easy things to do would be, for example, recommending sites such as Rosenberger's or the ICSA's, letting e-mail hoaxes stop at us, or keeping ourselves informed about the new hoaxes.
Also to dispel myths, we can inform our friends of how real viruses can infect a computer. Infection must occur through an executable file. (Rosenberger) In other words, a computer has to load a virus to actually obtain it. Most viruses are spread through diskettes that are either borrowed or previously used. (Delger) They can even be passed around through a network of computers, such as the Internet. If a diskette that is not write-protected is used on an infected system, that virus can then transfer to any other system the diskette is used on, assuming the disk and computer are compatible. Even loading a brand-new straight-from-the-factory CD-Rom game might have the potential to destroy a computer since a few CDs do slip out with viruses on them. (Rosenberger)
Despite this, "the incidence of virus infection is simply far lower than what's claimed by the general press-and even in the less technical of the computer presses..." (Machrone) The best way to prevent a virus is to keep track of where incoming files have been. Also, Rosenberger recommends an anti-virus, only as a second defense. Backups stand as number one. If a computer is infected, then it can be rebooted with the backups to replace or repair the damaged files.
Anti-viruses, such as Norton, McAfee, or Sophos, scan for viruses, detecting anything that is similar, which can sometimes cause problems. For instance, my dad scanned our computer. Norton anti-virus detected what it thought was a virus. After dad cleared the system, it would no longer function properly. What the anti-virus found was actually supposed to be on the computer. This happens to be a common problem of anti-viruses. However, they are usually very effective, despite the fact that they "can be tricky to use at time and occasionally suffer from programming errors." (Rosenberger)
Though viruses can be destructive, the majority of us need not fear them, especially if we have all of good backups made. As long as we remember to be careful where our software comes from we should be safe. The chances of a real infection are minuscule. Therefore, the threat of viruses truly rests on how much people are willing to believe and what they will do as a result of it. If we all stay reasonably well informed, we should be able to live without the fear of a virus ruining our computers.
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