| It is amazing how many people; both casual Internet | | | | infected. |
| "surfers" and online marketers choose to ignore | | | | - File infector viruses like to go after your application |
| computer internet security. Perhaps it is simply due to | | | | programs by attaching themselves to the code of the |
| ignorance as to how widespread and dangerous | | | | host file. This allows them to spread from one |
| computer viruses are or that they are simply "too | | | | computer to another over a network once the host |
| cheap" to invest in quality internet security products. | | | | application is utilized by the computer user (you). |
| Then again it could be a matter of their naive belief | | | | - Macro viruses are actually tiny programs on their |
| that "it will never happen to me". Whatever the reason, | | | | own which can infiltrate an application program and |
| with some computer industry reports claiming nearly | | | | then begin to replace normal programming code to |
| 5,000 "new" computer viruses being discovered each | | | | cause unexplained and potentially destructive behavior, |
| year, whether you are a casual Internet surfer or a | | | | which may result in data loss and more. Other virus |
| serious online marketer, you cannot afford not to take | | | | types that are becoming more common and that you |
| computer virus threats very seriously! | | | | need to be aware of include: |
| Just imagine logging into your computer one fine day to | | | | - stealth viruses which have the ability to hide from all |
| check your bank account or PayPal account only to | | | | but the best internet security programs, |
| find all your funds are gone! Your hard earned money, | | | | - time bomb viruses that are written specifically to |
| either from your traditional job or online business | | | | become active on a certain date or time specified by |
| (perhaps both) have been stolen. Yes, there are | | | | their creator, |
| viruses out there that are capable of gathering | | | | - polymorphic viruses have the built in ability to actually |
| sensitive data (passwords, credit card information, etc.) | | | | change their code to fool basic antivirus scanning |
| from your computer without your knowledge and | | | | software until they are ready to strike, |
| sending it back to the criminals that wrote the virus | | | | - multpartite viruses are a combination (or hybrid) of |
| programs. Good-bye savings! So it is well worth your | | | | two or more viruses such as a boot sector virus and |
| while to invest in the best internet security software | | | | a file infector virus, |
| that you can afford. | | | | - logic bombs are written to strike when a certain |
| So what is a computer virus anyway? In simple terms, | | | | event, predetermined by their creator, happens. Until |
| a computer virus is a program that has the ability to | | | | that time, they behave like a time bomb virus, lying in |
| spread throughout your computer and/or network by | | | | wait. One final tidbit of information just in case you still |
| attaching itself to your program files or host files. Once | | | | are unconvinced of the seriousness and threats to |
| the computer virus has copied itself throughout your | | | | your computer internet security posed by computer |
| computer system, depending on the type of virus, it | | | | viruses. Depending on your information sources, |
| starts to interfere with the normal operation of your | | | | estimates of new computer viruses discovered each |
| computer and /or network in a variety of ways which | | | | month range from as low as 100 upwards to over |
| we will discuss in a later article. | | | | 500! Clearly it is no longer a question of "if I do get a |
| Unfortunately computer viruses come in many | | | | computer virus infection", but rather, "when I get a |
| different forms, so there is no one common cure that | | | | computer virus infection". |
| will prevent and destroy all the many viruses out there. | | | | In my next articles we will discuss Antivirus software, |
| Some of the more common viruses are: | | | | what it does, how to tell if you have an infected |
| - Boot sector viruses that focus on infecting the boot | | | | computer and/or network, and what you need to look |
| sector of a hard drive as well as the "master boot | | | | for in a good Antivirus software program for your |
| record". Simply starting or "booting" your computer is | | | | internet security system. |
| enough to activate this nasty critter if your computer is | | | | |