Virus protection: needed or not?

If you have virus protection (anti-virus software) which will stop a virus before it can cause a real problem, great! But, there are thousands of programs written specifically to cause damage or to overload servers . Are you sure you can protect your computer and your network?

Viruses, worms and Trojan horses are software programs created specifically to wreak havoc on personal computers and networks. The chances of contracting one of these over the Internet has increased dramatically. In fact, unless you run anti-virus software, your computer will almost certainly become infected. Typically, you get a virus by opening infected e-mail attachments. Recently, my virus protection program warned me of an infected web page and stopped it from loading.

Computer viruses are relatively harmless to individuals. They just attach themselves to outgoing messages or e-mail themselves to all the contacts listed in your address book. The sudden flood of e-mail overwhelms mail servers, causing these systems to crash.

Some viruses are more destructive, but may lie dormant until a certain date. Then they spring to life. A strange message may appear on your screen, or data and programs can be modified. In a worst case scenario, all the files on your hard drive can be wiped out. These insidious programs can start on one computer, then replicate quickly, infecting other computers around the world.

In 1988 a student at Cornell University sent out a virus out by accident, infecting more than 6,000 computers in minutes, nearly bringing the Internet to its knees. In 1998, the "I Love You" virus caused over $1 billion in lost productivity as it crippled e-mail systems worldwide. The "Melissa" virus did similar damage as well. Last year alone, 10,000 new viruses, worms and Trojan horse programs were unleashed.

Warning Signs of An Infection

1. Your computer starts running sluggishly.

2. It shuts down unexpectedly or crashes frequently.

3. It experiences memory problems or runs out of disc space.

4. Unusual files or directories appear on your system.

5. Strange messages appear on your screen

Does your computer need virus protection, click here.