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TechnoFiles...with Riley Gay
Guarding against computer viruses: An update

An updated reprint from a previous issue addressing online safety concerns.

There’s no arguing that the Internet is one of the great innovations of the past 20 years. For many, it’s the first place we go for information on just about anything. It has become the primary means of communication between businesses and individuals all over the world. And it may even be the way we will get our music and movies in the very near future.

But for all that, the Internet is still a fledgling technology – with much to learn, and some real problems to be faced if it is to ever realize its full potential.

Among the most serious of these problems are the growing proliferation of email-borne viruses, exploitation of the Web by pornographers and mass marketers, data theft and commercial fraud.

Much is being done to address these issues, but in the meantime there are some things that you can do to make it unscathed through this online minefield.

First of all, there are a couple of steps that you can, and should, take to keep your computer virus free: Install an antivirus utility and be especially selective about which email attachments you choose to open.

Norton Antivirus 2003 (www.symantec.com) can monitor your emails for viruses before you open them, and can inspect your system for any suspicious files or unwelcome operations. There are also a number of other good antivirus programs available, but if cost is an issue, then check out Panda Antivirus (www.pandasoftware.com) for their free virus protection utility.

No matter which antivirus utility you choose, keeping it updated with the latest virus definitions is the best way to ensure you’ll be safe from attack.

In most cases, viruses arrive as email attachments that can only infect your system if you open them. So, unless it’s one you’re expecting to receive, check every attachment carefully with your virus scanner and in particular avoid opening any file with an .exe, .doc, .scp or .bat extension.

One of the biggest aggravations when navigating the Web these days is the almost constant assault by “pop-up” and “pop-under” advertisements. These ads are not only annoying, but they hog precious bandwidth and can slow your Internet connection down to a virtual crawl.

Some service providers, such as AOL and Earthlink, are taking steps to deal with this practice, but in the meantime you can defend yourself by installing a pop-up blocker to keep these unwanted windows from opening. Pow!, from AnalogX (www.analogx.com/contents/download/network/pow.htm), and Pop-up Stopper from PanicWare (www.panicware.com/popupstopper.html) can both take care of unwanted pop-ups and, best of all, they’re free. Online search engine Google offers a toolbar that integrates with your web browser to shut down the pop-up assault.

There are lots of sites on the Web where you’re asked to register and to supply your email address in order to access content. Unfortunately, this is also one way your address can end up on marketers’ mailing lists, and is likely to result in a flood of unwanted email, known on the ‘Net as “spam”. To avoid, this type of unsolicited email, set up a free email account with Yahoo, Excite, or any of a number of free account providers, and give this address to marketers and Website administrators to keep your regular email inbox spam-free.

With the burgeoning of broadband technologies in the consumer market, the threat of data theft by hackers has risen dramatically. Without a firewall to protect your always-on cable, DSL, or satellite connection, your sensitive data may be at risk. Firewall software, such as BlackIce (blackice.iss.net) and Norton Firewall (www.symantec.com), can render your computer effectively “invisible” to Internet attackers. You may also want to check out ZoneAlarm (www.zonelabs.com), for a free firewall solution.

If you’ve set up a network using a wireless Access Point (WAP) to share a high speed connection with other computers in your home, be sure to configure it for maximum security by changing the default password and enabling encryption to keep out any unwanted guests. Check your WAP’s help files for information on how to configure these settings.

Shopping online can expose you to the same dangers you’d face using your credit cards to make purchases anywhere. Protecting yourself from online fraud is much the same, too – buy from a reputable retailer and use the protections provided by your credit provider.

In addition, your browser can provide some extra protection when making online purchases. Both Internet Explorer and Netscape can be configured to display icons that indicate the secure or non-secure status of Web pages you visit, and can alert you when entering information on a non-secure site. Check your browser’s help files to find out how to ensure that these security features are enabled.

While venturing out onto the Internet may seem to be a scary prospect, with the proper defenses and a little care you should be able to travel safely and securely just about anywhere you choose to journey.

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