Virus protection, hoaxes, and related issues
Computer viruses are becoming an increasing problem. If you ever download files from the internet, open attachments in E-mail, or share files with others then you should be running virus protection software on your system. Good sources of information on current virus issues are the Symantec AntiVirus Research Center and the Computer Emergency Response Team.
Hoax virus warnings are becoming almost as annoying as viruses. These messages carry fake virus information warnings and ask that you "pass this message on to all of your friends". This is a compelling request, since of course it sounds like important information which we would like to share. But false warnings can alarm people unnecessarily, and because they spread amazingly quickly they generate a significant amount of traffic on the mail systems. If you receive such a message, please verify the information before forwarding the message. A good way to find out whether a reported virus is real is to search for it in Symantec's virus encyclopedia. If you don't find it there then try Symantec's list of virus hoaxes.
Related to hoax virus warnings are various other dramatic but fictional warnings such as the "HIV needle stick" story. These stories (which often carry health or safety warnings) can also be alarming, and tie up the mail system. To avoid spreading these kinds of messages I try to verify the report from a reliable site (e.g. the CDC for medical info) before passing it on. If that fails I then check to see whether it is a known tall tale using The Mining Company's listing of urban legends (which you can search) or CIAC's Internet hoax site.
The impact of Spyware/Adware has recently come to my attention. These things, which often come along with useful downloadable utilities, can result in an onslaught of pop-ups, may compromise your privacy, and can significantly slow down your system. I have found two very useful tools for dealing with this problem: | A free, on-line scanner is available from PestPatrol. I suggest starting there to find out what shape your system is in. |
| A free, downloadable (for personal use) tool for removing spyware is available from LavaSoft USA. Click on "Ad-Aware" towards the top of the menu on the left side, then click "download" on the right. |