The computer virus situation is getting worse by the day. As a consultant, of course I see the worst of it. But the number of calls I am getting to disinfect computers, and the number of e-mails I receive containing viruses is growing. I just got a number of virus-infected e-mails from a local Oak Island town department that shall remain nameless. So, at the risk of boring the minority of you who are properly virus protected, let me try again - this time with feeling!
There is a virus problem. The problem is Y-O-U (as in Why, Oh You, can't you do the right thing?). The problem is not the people who write the viruses and set them loose - you are not going to stop them. The problem is not the Internet infrastructure and your ISP (Internet Service Provider) - the task of cleansing the Internet of viruses is Herculean. The problem is you. Very simply put, if everybody had ANTI-VIRUS software and KEPT IT UP TO DATE, there would be NO VIRUS PROBLEM. Excuse my shouting. It's that simple.
The anti-virus software works very well. All anti-virus activities are coordinated by CERT (the Computer Emergency Response Team) at Carnegie-Melon University. You can look at the activities of CERT at www.cert.org or at www.symantec.com or at www.mcafee.com. Viruses are quickly identified and the information is then shared between all appropriate organizations. The software manufacturers update their software and make these updates available via automatic updates to the users (you).
So, here are the rules to follow to eliminate viruses.
1) Follow these rules to the letter. Do not deviate. If you deviate, you might as well not bother to do anything at all.
2) Buy and install one of the leading anti-virus packages. Be sure to configure it to SCAN your hard drive EVERY DAY and to SCAN your E-MAIL. If you don't know how to do this, get help. Update (as in buy) the anti-virus program every year, or when the manufacturer issues a new level of the program. For what you get, the software is CHEAP. I would not depend on free virus checkers - you get what you pay for.
3) Set up your anti-virus package to UPDATE VIRUS DEFINITIONS EVERY DAY. You should set the timing of the update to occur before the daily hard drive scan. The newer versions of the anti-virus programs update automatically if you are on-line (for example, using Road Runner). In other words, if this hasn't sunk in yet, do this EVERY DAY.
4) Don't pass on (forward) ANY e-mail that has ANYTHING to do with viruses. Most of the e-mails that have virus warnings are bogus or old. CERT does NOT NEED YOUR HELP disseminating virus information. Erase all such e-mails and don't pass them on.
5) If you receive a virus from someone, tell him or her by phone if you can, e-mail otherwise. But you should definitely make them aware that THEIR anti-virus software IS NOT WORKING. If it were, they wouldn't have sent the virus to you.
If everyone did these few simple steps, there would be quite literally no virus problem - they just wouldn't spread. Please, do the right thing.
(Bob Seidel is a local computer consultant in the Southport / Oak Island area. You can visit his website at www.bobseidel.com or e-mail him at bsc@bobseidel.com).