Linking to Learning
What you should know about virus protection
Dec 11, 2008 1:47 PM
If you use the Internet, receive and send e-mail, or share files over social networks, your computer is susceptible to contamination from malicious software that may delete files and documents, or capture passwords and other private information. Teachers who communicate with students online or accept student work by e-mail and from shared CDs and portable drives should be especially careful.
More than 90 percent of Internet users say that they primarily use their computers to surf the Web and send e-mail. Since virus invasions typically come from another computer, never open an e-mail attachment if you weren’t expecting it, or if it’s from an unknown entity or person. Don’t succumb no matter how enticing the attachment seems because there is a chance that the file will unleash untold harm upon the software in your computer.
If you only use the Department of Education’s e-mail and Internet portal, you can feel secure in knowing that it is protected by several layers of defenses, including proxy servers, filters, and updated virus recognition and prevention software. That doesn’t mean you should be careless. You don’t deliberately drive into a tree because a car has airbags. The same holds true with all Internet and file-sharing activities. Follow the DOE’s guidelines and update account access passwords on a regular basis.
That’s a good policy for personal e-mail accounts, too, because recent trends in viruses and spyware detection have revealed that online vandals are now targeting individuals more than networks because it is easier to break into individual computer systems than it is to breach network security designs. One careless move can unleash an infection that can bring a personal computer to a standstill or, worse, can give criminals access to the passwords and other financial and private information stored on your computer’s hard drive.
Be especially wary of attachments that contain extensions like .exe, .scr, .cmd, .vbs and .reg. Never open these files because they contain executable programs.
Never download software from the Internet when a pop-up dialogue box appears on the screen offering software that you did not request. It is, however, usually safe to download software you want from a company’s official Web site.
The first line of defense to protect yourself is to install virus detection and prevention software that is updated whenever you access the Internet and that scans your computer automatically for any virus-like activities. Purchase a yearly license to receive daily updates and remember to renew it immediately when it expires because hundreds of new viruses are uncovered every month.
Norton, McAfee, Trend Micro and AVG are some of the more well-known companies that offer virus detection and protection software. AVG Anti-Virus Free 2008 is, as it states, free of cost and does an excellent job of protecting computers from viruses and spyware. Do a Google search with the term “anti-virus software reviews” to compare these software packages and to learn about other products like the highly rated BitDefender and Shield Deluxe products.
It’s also a good idea to update your computer’s operating system and browsers so they include the latest patches that seal any security breaches that were discovered since you installed the previous version. If you go to www.microsoft.com/downloads, you can find free security upgrades and the “Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool.” So far Mac software has remained relatively problem-free.
If the thought of losing the music and family photos you painstakingly downloaded to your computer distresses you, you should install anti-virus software. If you accept work from students via e-mail, or share portable drives and CDs with students or colleagues, checking these files with anti-virus software before you open them could prevent an invasion of your computer.
These simple steps alone will go a long way in protecting your computer, your files and your identity.
