It’s a moment you wouldn’t wish on anyone. That moment is when the realization sinks home that your computer has been attacked by a virus; a virus which has succeeded in slipping through your computer’s defences which, up to that moment, you were convinced were strong enough. Your computer technician is now breaking the sad news that you were over-optimistic of your chosen software’s ability to protect your computer, and the valuable information that it contains, from the ever growing and increasingly sophisticated array of computer viruses that are appearing on a daily basis.

As he shakes his head, your computer technician explains that the only way to give your computer a clean bill of health is to re-format your hard disc, meaning that all the information contained on it will be gone forever. There are many viruses around these days that will save the technician the job of clearing out the hard disc, as the virus will clear out the hard disc during its raid on your computer.

When it comes to protecting the information on a hard disc there are two methods. Preventing virus attacks on your computer means investing in the best virus protection software that you can find and not necessarily in the cheapest. The information that you have online will, for certain, be worth a hundreds times more than it will cost you to invest in the software.

The other method to protect your data also involves an investment, and again one that is very worthwhile. Anyone who wants to protect their information needs to spend some money on an external hard disc to house and back up all the information on their computer. The information can be related to your business and your personal life and many times cannot be replaced.      

So don’t make the mistake of adopting the “false economy” approach. Spend some money on protecting your information. You won’t regret it.

For more information on Protection your PC or laptop visit http://www.mcafee-downloads.co.uk

Tags: Anti Virus, anti-virus protection, Back Up, Computer Viruses, Digital Download Products, Mcafee, PC Back up, Trojan Horses, Viruses

With Microsoft hot from releasing an emergency patch on Thursday 19^th January designed to repair a zero-day vulnerability that caused Google and more than 30 other companies to be hacked in the so-called Aurora attacks, an older problem has reared its ugly head which looks like it will represent further woe for Internet Explorer (IE).

Information has reached Microsoft that versions of Internet Explorer could inadvertently allow hacker entry to a computer’s hard disc and allow them to access files on the computer. Apparently Microsoft was made aware of the problem as long ago as 2008 and despite two attempts by Microsoft to fix it two years ago, the problem seems unwilling to go away.  The virus is not so sophisticated and doesn’t allow the hacker to install other codes on a person’s computer. Despite that fact, the presence of this glitch has to be regarded as a serious breach of security, affecting all of Microsoft’s operating systems, including their latest IE8.

The hacker operates by duping a victim into clicking on a heavily disguised malicious Uniform Resource Locator (URL). The URL is created by manipulating four or five features in Internet Explorer; if the hacker succeeds in drawing a computer owner or user into his web, the browser will process files that are not pure HTML on the computer.

Despite the fixes carried out in 2008, hackers continue to find ways to pull off the same attack. Hopes are that when Microsoft’s next batch of patches is released on Feb. 9 the company will have come up with a solution to the problem by then.

In the meantime, if you come across a link that looks suspicious, you should stay clear. If you click on the URL you might find yourself on a web site that is an exact replica of the one that wanted to link onto it, but is instead an attempt to access private information and introduce a series of viruses into your computer.

For more information on Protection your PC or laptop visit http://www.mcafee-downloads.co.uk

Tags: Anti Virus, Computer Viruses, Digital Download Products, IE, Internet Security, Mcafee, Phishing Scams, Trojan Horses, Viruses

And that is never to switch it on, or at least never connect to the internet, which would kind of defeat the purpose of having a computer in this day and age.  Once a computer has been connected to the net, and it is without virus protection than it is vulnerable to invasion as if it has been online for years.  .  Viruses and other malware  are lying in wait to invade a computer and it could just a few minutes before they come knocking on the door, to discover that it has been left ajar.

Computer viruses didn’t earn their title because it slipped off someone’s tongue. There are human viruses and there are computer viruses and they bear strong similarities. A person can become really ill from being infected with a virus as a can a computer. The difference is that a human will, in most cases, eventually recover from a virus while a computer will gradually deteriorate into an uncooperative and unfriendly monster if left untreated.

The first signs that a computer has been infected by a virus, is that it begins to operate increasingly slowly. While this is something that can be very frustrating for the operator, but is a small time problem compared to what lies in store. The next tell-tale sign that there are gremlins at work is when your disc drives begin to lock you out. You will find yourself increasingly using your right click button as you battle to retain control of your computer, which is becoming increasingly unfriendly.

Dependant on the strength and the nature  of the virus which is attacking your computer there will eventually be no option but to  take some very radical  steps to get your computer back on the road to health. This will invariably require the services of a computer technician who knows what will be required to get your computer clear of all these viruses. Computer technicians are like doctors and will not be slow to point out that an unprotected computer will only become a sick one again, and in next to no time. 

So like humans take their preventative medicines so you should protect your computer with a dose of what is good for it.  Not that you should pour some cough medicine through the DVD drive, more that you should install a professional and efficient anti-virus program.

Tags: Anti Virus, Computer Viruses, Mcafee, Phishing Scams, Trojan Horses, Viruses

As computer technology continues to develop at an overwhelming pace, owners and operators have had to come to terms with loads of new challenges, some of them very positive, yet a few negative and in the extreme. Computer viruses of malicious software (malware) in their various formats are one of them, and it is a challenge that cannot be ignored. While there are some excellent software programs around that will provide all the protection that is necessary. It is important for someone who is online on a regular basis to understand the various viruses that can penetrate their computer and the damage that they can cause.

For a long time, the most common form of virus was known as worm, but recently they have been superseded by the Trojan horse type, which can be even more virulent. Worms tend to be less powerful, yet contain the ability of being able to readily replicate themselves and spread from computer to computer that are unprotected. Trojan horses are, as they sound, a form of fairly sophisticated malware that can be embedded in a computer’s random access memory (RAM) and from there infiltrate files and passwords containing confidential information. While these Trojan horses can lie either dormant or undetected for weeks or months on end, they can do unlimited damage, especially to a computer that contains sensitive information. Trojan horses are usually slipped into a computer through its "backdoor"

Backdoors describes procedures on a computer operating system which allows for automatic updates of various softwares, usually from Microsoft. Hackers lie in wait for automatic uploads, which usually take place on the last Tuesday of the month to surreptitiously slip in a Trojan horse through the back door, is an unlocked communications port in a computer which has been left open to allow such uploads.

Once the Backdoor Trojan is in place, the hacker now has the affected computer at their mercy, and control whatever of the system’s data and functions that they choose. The attacker can do various things like read, delete, edit files as well as tamper with log in information and passwords. The hacker can use the Trojan Horse to access bank accounts and other personal details as well as steal confidential company information in a sophisticated form of business espionage.

Anyone using a computer today apart from the most innocent of reasons such as game play needs to have anti-virus software installed. And the more valuable the information contained on the computer, then the more sophisticated and up to date anti-virus software that can be found should be installed.

This article was sourced from www.mcafee-downloads.co.uk/

Tags: Anti Virus, backdoor Trojan, Computer Viruses, Malware, Mcafee, RAM, random access memory, Trojan, Trojan horse, Worms

One of the most dangerous sites to visit which runs the risk of computer virus infiltration is the so called "torrent" web sites. These are sites where computer owners go to download music, videos and even full-length movies and are known to be a hot-bed of just about every form of virus imaginable. Often computer owners are unaware that a member of their family or a colleague at work or even a roommate at university is using the computer to surf these kinds of web sites. One thing is for sure, nothing is worth the risk that visiting torrent web sites can present, and any money spent on installing the most powerful and up-to-date virus protection software makes for a very wise investment.

The viruses that hover in the background on torrent web sites are the most awkward to deal with that you will encounter online. They look very like a real folder, text file or even a MP3 clip. However, the only way that they can be readily identified is by a tell-tale arrow situated on the lower left-hand corner of the clip. Downloading clips from torrent websites can be appealing, since the money saved can be considerable, despite the copyright issues involved. However, any money saved will soon be forgotten if irreparable damage is done by allowing a virus or even several viruses to infiltrate your computer in the process.

There are still hundreds of thousands of computer owners out there who haven’t seen fit, for various reasons, to install anti-virus software. There are still at least the same number who have installed a freeware antivirus program, which does nothing but lull them into a false sense of security regarding the safety of their computer, especially in that they or other people who have access to the computer are inclined to even visit illegal torrent sites, and especially if they download from them.

A professionally programmed and designed piece of antivirus software, such as the ones produced by MacAfee, is the most powerful and best-equipped to provide real time protection against all forms computer viruses, worms and Trojan horses and to catch them before they infect the computer. They do so by employing the most advanced worm-stopping and script-stopping technology, as well as the scanning of incoming and outgoing email and instant messages.

Viruses are being updated and created all the time and software publishers have to be on their toes to update their detection database on a frequent basis, as well as releasing regular updates, which MacAfee carries out automatically, but with the computer owner’s approval.

So why leave the backdoor open on your computer? Keep yourself protected from the torrent with MacAfee.

Tags: Anti Virus, anti-virus software, antivirus software, Computer virus, Computer Viruses, Digital Download Products, freeware antivirus, Home Electricals and Computers, MacAfee, torrent, Trojan, Trojan horse, Virus, virus protection software, Worms

Exploit does what did you say? Now, a lot of us have heard of computer viruses, bugs, trojans and even the increasingly popular malware, but exploit, that might be a new one on many.

Basically, Exploit is a piece of software, a line of code, or a number of commands, that has evil designs on your computer.

Oddly, it originates from the French word of the same spelling and it’s literal meaning is achievement. I suppose it depends on whose point of view, the criminal fraternity from where they originate, or yours.

Because for you, it’s bad news, as exploit software is intended to disrupt computer software by force. And such aggressive attacks might manifest themselves by seizing control, denying the rightful owner access, or allowing privileged escalation.

But the true meaning of exploit is not lost on those who fall prey to it. Simply put, it exploits a vulnerable computer system, or network, and that vulnerability is usually brought about by a software design fault, or bug. Hence the word exploit – it exploits a weakness in the original code.

And there are a number of exploits out there. For example, a remote exploit will attack a vulnerable system without prior access. Whereas a local exploit will already have gained prior access.

What is particularly nasty about an exploit, is that it can be used to build up the level of control and gradually take over the whole system, and this is why it is most often targeted at computerised networks. It’s aim is to take control of the system administrator; and if you imagine the power that a bogus administrator could wield, it really represents a very severe threat indeed.

And the exploit, once it’s found it’s home, can effectively morph, and replicate, meaning that the original nasty piece of software is deleted, but the ones remaining, are worse than the original and can reap even worse damage.

So, particularly unpleasant and just in case you wanted to know what a previous phrase used in this article means – privileged escalation – here goes. It basically entails what’s already been discussed, the act of placing, with malicious intent, some software of your own creation, within a computer system that has an existing weakness and by doing so, you are able to enjoy the same privilege of control as that enjoyed by the system administrator.

Understood? Well, whatever the definition, an exploit can give the IT guys a major nightmare, so, be on your guard.

Tags: Anti Virus, Bugs, Computer Viruses, Mcafee, Trojans, Viruses