What is a Virus?

The dictionary definition of a computer virus reads, "a piece of code that is capable of copying itself and typically has a detrimental effect, such as corrupting the system or destroying data." The effects of a virus infecting a computer can range from simply causing the computer to run slower to causing instability--popups, deleted files, unable to boot.

The majority of viruses are spread through email. The best line of defense is to be very cautious when checking email or clicking on links. If you receive an email that looks remotely odd or unsolicited, then proceed with caution. Opening the email is not the action that causes the computer to become infected, rather, the action of clicking a link or attachment within the email is where the infection will either take place or redirect the user to an unsafe website. Pay close attention to the link names in any email--spammers tend to insert an extra character into the link and are usually fairly easy to spot.

Also, there is a misconception that Macs do not get viruses. While the majority of viruses are built to exploit Windows computers, there are viruses made to attack Mac computers too. They aren't as prevalent because there are more Windows computers than Macs, and the virus makers seek to do the most damage by infecting the larger install base which is Windows. In either case it is recommended to have an anti-virus program installed. For Windows we recommend Microsoft Security Essentials or AVG Free, and for Macs we recommend installing Sophos AntiVirus. Each of these programs are free to download and use--there is no need to purchase an anti-virus program!

While anti-virus programs are a great step to block viruses from infecting your computer, they aren't always the best solution for virus removal. We recommend and use Malware Bytes Anti-Malware (MBAM) to clean Windows computers. It is best to run MBAM in Safe Mode to ensure only the essential programs are running in the background while scanning for viruses. For Macs, we use the Sophos AntiVirus scanner, which is thorough enough for removing viruses.

 If you suspect you have a virus because of a noticeably slower computer, an increase in popups, or instability then feel free to visit us at DormNet and we will gladly help get your computer running like it should!