Merlin's
Blue*
Fact
Sheets

Computer Viruses

   
 

Feel free to
print these pages
for future reference.

Page 1 of 5 -- Are they real? What is a computer virus?
How can you guard against them?

 

The chances of your computer getting infected with a computer virus are now much higher than they used to be. What is a computer virus? How can you guard against them? What should you do if you get infected?

 Contents  

Introduction

  • Would you like to have your computer inoperable for several hours? or possibly for a couple of days?
  • Would you like to lose some or all of your computer files?
  • Would you mind if bits of information from some of the files on your computer's hard drive were sent via e-mail to other people (perhaps some confidential or personal material)?
  • Could you manage without e-mail and Internet access for several hours, or even a day or two?
  • Could you manage if everything on your computer disappeared without warning?

You probably answered a very strong NO to all these questions.

Computer viruses are easily capable of such damage, and violation of privacy. Good Anti-Virus (AV) software, and some careful precautions, can help guard against infection.

If you don't guard against, and prepare for, a virus infection, then best of luck!

What is a computer virus?

A computer virus is a little computer program that can get into a PC, and cause some annoying behaviour and/or some damage to files or programs. It can also proactively cause damage to other people's computer systems, and to Web sites. Some particular types of viruses are also known as worms or trojans.

There are actually thousands of different viruses, and variations of viruses, in existence. Some of the more popular (ie. common) ones are known by names such as: Code Red, Sircam, Naked Wife, Magistrate, and Word Macro virus. The damage they can cause varies from virus to virus.

On This Page:-
Introduction.
What is a virus?
Page 2
Damage that they can do.
How do they get into a computer?
Page 3
The Risk.
Guarding against them.
Page 4
What do I do if my PC is infected?
Preparing for recovery.
Recovering.
Page 5
Anti-Virus Software.
The Last Word. 		 
   

Next Page >>

The Last Word: If you don't guard against, and prepare for, a virus infection, then best of luck.

* - Merlin's Blue Fact Sheets are so named because the first versions (produced in 1989) were printed onto blue paper to help them stand out in a pile of plain paper. And today on the Web, the page background is blue.

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Please feel free to print this web page, and/or pass it on to others, provided that it is printed in entirety including the Copyright notice and home page web address below. Some of the computer terms used here are explained in our on-line Glossary of (Computer) Terms (it will open in a new Window). For a more complete glossary have a look at our Merlin's Techno-Guide. To search this web site for specific information, you can use the PicoSearch facility on our home page. Or to search the Web using a search engine, try browsing a Search Engine, Directory, Portal Web site from our (extensive list) Search Engines page, or the abridged version of the same page.

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Last revised: 20 May, 2003.

Important: The information provided here is not advice. It is intended as a guide only, and may not be complete, nor relevant to every situation. It should not be relied upon. Any product or company names that might be mentioned here may be registered trade marks or trade names and owned by the respective companies, and they are are quoted here in good faith, without recommendation or endorsement.