Viruses

Viruses

Deliberate, destructive and damn annoying – viruses are a big pain in the backside, but there are several ways for us to limit their power and often beat them at their own game.

To do this, however, we are best equipped knowing what dangers lay ahead of us on the web, and what kind of manners they protrude. Here’s a little introduction to viruses.

AntiVirus | Internet Security | All in One Protection

What is a virus?


...and how do I avoid them?

Stethoscope

Viruses are miniature bits of software intentionally aiming to distort or destroy your PC or hard-drive. Formerly widening their reach via floppy disks, and later favoring instant messaging and emails, viruses have now returned to removable hardware, like USBs, to contaminate PCs.

Removable hardware has been particularly rewarding for their aims, and disastrous for users, as USBs are rarely suspected as contaminating devices. People are too busy worrying about emails and pop-up windows to realize that another source of data is entering their computers. A virus has even entered an international space station when an astronaut unknowingly inserted a USB stick into the computer he was meant to bring up with him.

The Elk Cloner, launched in 1982, was the first virus to hit the web. It was soon joined by dozens more, many of which are so sophisticated they can even fool some types of intricate antivirus software.

The very first virus, called The Elk Cloner, was unleashed on to the Internet in 1982. Not long after, the web was flooded with several viruses, some even cunning enough to cheat antivirus software. Possibly the five most turbulent viruses in the world include W32.Downadup (2009), Sasser (2004), SQL Slammer (2003), Storm Worm (2007), and Leap A (2004) which have together struck billions of computers. The first disabled the defenses of eight million PCs and the second wreaked $1 billion worth of havoc by immobilizing five of 13 global root name servers which uphold the Internet.

The Slammer hit British Airways and Goldman Sachs and was initiated by an 18-year-old., while the Leap A proved one of the most fateful attacks on Mac computers. What happens to your computer after an attack wholly relies on facts relating to your computer’s capabilities to deter it. This may vary hugely depending on operating systems and applications; however, Norton seeks to ensure that every type of computer can be protected. Norton Antivirus 11 for Mac, Norton Antivirus, Norton 360°, Norton SystemWorks and Norton Save & Restore, are designed to fit these requirements.