Computer Viruses

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VIRUS: "A program or piece of code that is loaded onto your computer without your knowledge and runs against your wishes. Most viruses can also replicate themselves. All computer viruses are manmade. A simple virus that can make a copy of itself over and over again is relatively easy to produce. Even such a simple virus is dangerous because it will quickly use all available memory and bring the system to a halt. An even more dangerous type of virus is one capable of transmitting itself across networks and bypassing security systems. "

from PC Webopaedie Definition and Links
Copyright 1998 Mecklermedia Corporation.

Before you forward that computer virus email to every friend, family member and coworker check the Virus Myths Homepage first! In most cases those virus warnings are hoaxes and forewarding that email is just playing into the hands of those crafty pranksters. Find out if that warning is real or just another bit of email spam before you send it along to others.

Thanks to Jovana Milutinovich for translating this page into Serbian.

Virus Information

Computer Virus - Wikipedia

Hoaxbusters

Interspersed among the junk mail and spam that fills our Internet e-mail boxes are dire warnings about devastating new viruses, Trojans that eat the heart out of your system, and malicious software that can steal the computer right off your desk. Added to that are messages about free money, children in trouble, and other items designed to grab you and get you to forward the message to everyone you know. Most all of these messages are hoaxes or chain letters. While hoaxes do not automatically infect systems like a virus or Trojan, they are still time consuming and costly to remove from all the systems where they exist. At CIAC, we find that we spend much more time de-bunking hoaxes than handling real virus and Trojan incidents. These pages describe some of the warnings, offers, and pleas for help that are filling our mailboxes, clogging our mailservers, and that generally do not have any basis in fact.

How Computer Viruses Work

Computer viruses tend to grab our attention. On the one hand, viruses show us how vulnerable we are. A properly engineered virus can have an amazing effect on the worldwide Internet. On the other hand, they show how sophisticated and interconnected human beings have become.

National Vulnerability Database

NVD is the U.S. government repository of standards based vulnerability management data represented using the Security Content Automation Protocol (SCAP). This data enables automation of vulnerability management, security measurement, and compliance. NVD includes databases of security checklists, security related software flaws, misconfigurations, product names, and impact metrics.

Protect Yourself: Computer Viruses

Viruses, worms and Trojan horses are human-made software programs created specifically to wreak havoc on personal computers and networks. The chance of contracting one of these computer viruses over the Internet has increased dramatically. In fact, unless you run anti-virus software, your computer will almost certainly become infected. Typically, you get a virus by opening infected e-mail attachments.

Symantec AntiVirus Research Center

"SARC is committed to providing swift, global responses to computer virus threats, proactively researching and developing technologies that eliminate such threats and educating the public on safe computing practices."

Virus Bulletin

Since 1989, Virus Bulletin has been dedicated to providing PC users with a regular source of uninfluenced, unbiased, independent intelligence about computer viruses, their prevention, detection and removal, and how to recover programs and data following an attack.

Virus Myths Homepage
""Mundus vult decipi"
(the world wants to be deceived)

Read all about computer virus myths & hoaxes.The specific reason why this web site exists. Learn about the myths, the hoaxes, the urban legends, and the implications if you believe in them. You can also see a list of virus hoaxes from A to Z."

Anti-Virus Software

McAffee

Norton Anti-Virus

Shareware Sites

CNET

Tucows

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