Anti-Virus Resource Center

Welcome to Cynteck Virus Resource Center. Here you will find information on what a virus is, how it affects you, and what you can do about it. In addition, you will also find tips and tools for avoiding, detecting and eliminating viruses.

General Information

There are three main types of computer viruses.

  • A true Virus: a program that attempts to cripple your computer by "infecting" key files and spreading itself on to others. It might change critical files or perform unwanted functions like erasing your hard drive.
  • A Trojan Horse will leave your computer accessible for other people to use (a common Trojan Horse is Back Orifice). Once a Trojan Horse is installed it may "bounce" through your machine as a way to cover its tracks and do other damage. A Trojan Horse gives the hacker access to all the information stored on your hard drive, so he can read your files & personal information, or use your pc to store data, send email, etc.
  • A Worm will travel from system to system, gather information and send it on, also doing collateral damage along the way.

Fast Fact: There are tens of thousands of known computer Viruses that can be received by email generally as attachments, or contracted by downloading files from the internet.

 

How can I avoid getting viruses?

Viruses are designed not only to infect you, but also to spread themselves. Some viruses read your email address book, and email themselves to everyone in the book. Other viruses attach themselves to every outgoing email. Below are a few simple steps to help you avoid receiving a virus:

  • Don't open an email attachment if you don't know the sender, or the message text or attachment name seems odd.
  • Scan all attachments and files you receive with an frequently updated anti-virus program.
  • Don't download from sites you are unfamiliar with or sites that may be questionable.

 

What can I do if I get Virus?

Stop!  Do as little as possible on your computer, every click could spread the infected program.  Immediately update your anti-virus software, unplug your computer from internet, and run a full virus scan on your computer. If your virus scanning software is properly updated it should remove the infected files. For more virus detail visit McAfee's Support Web Site.