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| There are several ways to get a
virus. The most prevalent are email worms and Trojan backdoor viruses
which actually place a program on your computer so that a malicious user can
get in and use YOUR computer! Email viruses can be caught though
any mail program but due to some security holes, they are particular easy to catch, through
Outlook Express the email software that we use to retrieve our St Ann
email. On this site you will find tips to avoid getting one of these
email worms and what to do if you think you have one. Look on the left of the page and you will see
advisories and a top 10 virus list to keep you up to date. On the right is
a free online virus scanner. Please make sure you read the notes
before using this scanner. ************************************************************************************************************************** Update: Since this website was written, many thousands of new viruses have appeared. Some of these new viruses can actually shut down the two most popular Anti-Virus Programs on today's market, Norton's and McAfee. Our School uses Vexria Anti-Virus Software to remove all viruses from our units To date Vexria is not effected by these new viruses that attack other anti-virus software. Also there are many malware programs that are not really considered viruses but can still harm and abruptly SLOW DOWN & otherwise hamper your computer. Antivirus software will NOT remove these types of problems from your computer. They don't come from email. They can come in the form of an internet address within and email or an Instant message. Malware/Spyware can be downloaded to your unit through other software downloads such as Kazza, Bonzi Buddy & Comet Cursor. There are millions of places that download malware. Some other popular types of free downloads like Download Accelerators, and the like also attach spyware/malware programs to their product. If it is free there usually is a catch. The way to combat malware and spyware is to install and RUN REGULARLY these two free programs (yes. . .really free, but they accept donations or have an enhanced version for sale) Lavasoft's AD-Aware (http://www.lavasoftusa.com/) & SPYbot S&D (Search & Destroy) (http://www.safer-networking.org/) . Both of these are award winning programs. There are other programs out there that say they remove malware & spyware BUT not all of them are reputable. Many of them are fronts in which to get you to download harmful programs onto your computer themselves. ************************************************************************************************************************** |
| Top 10 Viruses
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Avoiding an Email Worm
Myth--I will avoid viruses if only open mail from people that I know! Truth--Most email worm viruses actually come from familiar sources. The worm goes into your address book and sends you an email from your friends email address. Tip--Use a codeword in the subject line of all your email and ask your friends to do the same. Myth--I can't get a virus unless I download and attached file. Truth #1--Some of the new viruses out now have the means to start when the user opens the mail. This is only known to happen at this time, however, with MS Outlook Express and MS Outlook Mail Programs. Tip#1--Make sure that your Virus software is up to date and it is set to scan all email upon opening. Truth #2--There is also the possibility being infected when a user clicks on a malicious hyperlink within the body of an email. This hyperlink takes the user to an infected web page, and does damage from there Tip#2--Simply do not click on any hyperlinks unless you are absolutely sure that it comes from a reputable source. |
Below you will find a link to a free online virus scanner. The power of scanning for viruses this way is
weakened by the fact that you have to physically scan your computer. This is good however in the instance that a new virus is near and our virus software has not yet been updated. It can
also be used to scan a student's disk. The first time this scanner is used there will be a very long
installation process, so I suggest that you do this download immediate and not when you are pressed for time to use.it.
Policy—When a student wants to use a disk in a classroom computer, it must be scanned before it is used. No student is allowed to retrieve their personal email from a St Ann Computer unless it is for educational purposes and are observed by a teacher while doing so.
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Is your computer pretty new, but you notice that is running really, really slow lately and even freezing up at times? Have you downloaded any of the Free Music Sharing software such as Kazaa, Morpheus and others? Downloading these "free" programs could very well be the cause of your computer's poor performance, but they can also be doing a lot of other damage as well. They can be infiltrating your computer, collecting your personal information and using it, sometimes for malicious purposes! If you don't believe, just read through the the top 10 viruses listed above and notice viruses like WORM_LIRVA.C and WORM_SOBIG.A are spread through Kazaa, ICQ and Chat relay's! Everyone needs to be an informed user now a days. You take a risk whenever you download any type of shareware software on the internet. Even, Yahoo Companion , Real Player, MS Media Player, Comet Cursor, Alexia, GATOR and DAP have adware software attached to them.
Remember, the saying "Nothing in life is really free?" well, it is definitely true in the case of this type of "FREE" software. Did you also know that when you download music, movies or software from these programs you are breaking the law?
In order for you to understand why and how these programs effect you computer, you should understand how they work, and what's at stake! Below I have collected some reliable resources for you to investigate and some links to FREE Removal software. These programs are really free and come from people want to help us FIGHT BACK! Read these articles and decide for yourself whether it is worth it downloading software that let's you make illegal copies of copyrighted music and software, and whether it is worth the price.
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Web sites about Spyware **Read about Adware from one of the Industry's Leading Experts on the subject! **What is Spyware?-Article from Spychecker.com **Read About the AdAware Program
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Keeping your privacy in control: |
Links to Free Spyware Removal Programs Download Pages
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CyberClass Home Teacher's Home St Ann Internet Safety Zone
NOW EVERYONE
SAY THIS WITH ME:
I WILL NOT let others guilt me into sending things by
telling me I am not their friend if I don't return an
email to them. Or that I don't believe in Jesus Christ.
If God wants to send me a message by using a PC, He
certainly is not going to "test" me to see if I forward it
to others.
"I will NOT get bad luck, lose my friends, or lose
my mailing lists if I DON'T forward an email!
I will NOT hear any music or see a taco dog,
if I DO forward an e-mail.
Bill Gates is NOT going to send me money;
Victoria's Secret doesn't know anything about a gift certificate
they're supposed to send me, and Ford will not give me a
50% discount even if I forward my e-mail to more than 50 people!
I will NEVER receive gift certificates, coupons,
or freebies from Coca Cola, Cracker Barrel, Old Navy,
or anyone else if I send an e-mail to 10 people.
I will NEVER see a pop-up window
if I forward an e-mail ... NEVER !!!!
My phone will not MYSTERIOUSLY
ring after I forward an e-mail.
There is NO SUCH THING as an e-mail tracking program,
and I am not STUPID enough to think that someone
will send me $100 for forwarding an e-mail to 10 or more people!
There is no kid with cancer through the Make-a-Wish program
in England collecting anything! He did when he was 7 years old.
He is now cancer-free and 35 years old and DOESN'T WANT
ANY MORE POST CARDS, CALLING CARDS, or GET-WELL CARDS.
The government does not have a bill in Congress called 901B
(or whatever they named it this week) that, if passed,
will enable them to charge us 5 cents for
every e-mail we send.
There
will be NO cool dancing, singing, waving,
colorful flowers, characters, or program that
I will receive immediately after I forward an e-mail.
The American Red Cross will NOT donate 50 cents to
a certain individual dying of some never-heard-of
disease for every e-mail address I send this to.
The American Red Cross RECEIVES donations.
Now,
repeat this to yourself until you have it memorized,
and send it along to at least 5 of your friends
before the next full moon or you will surely
be constipated for the next three
months and all of your teeth will fall out.
