| In addition to the common methods of
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| | As you can see, your computer can be
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| spreading through email attachments, boot
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| | hijacked without your knowledge and then
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| infections and program infectors, there
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| | used in a major attack against an
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| are other ways by which viruses spread to
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| | unsuspecting company. However with
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| your computer. These include:
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| | up-to-date virus/firewall protection,
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| Infection by Disk(Floppy, Zip, CD's,
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| | your computer will be immune to such
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| Tapes, etc.)
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| | hijacking.
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| Floppy disks, though not as commonly used
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| | Other ways by which virus spreads
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| as in the past, are still a very common
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| | Other sources of viruses have been found
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| way viruses being spread from machine to
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| | to be the result of software downloads
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| machine. Anyone with an infected machine,
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| | available over the Internet. Software
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| using a floppy disk to copy and save
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| | patches, drivers, demonstration software,
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| files, can also copy and transfer the
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| | from reputable companies, generally
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| virus. Any use of that same removable
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| | carries little risk. However, the
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| disk, by any user, at any time in the
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| | Internet is also filled with "unofficial"
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| future, will most likely contaminate, or
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| | software, pirated programs, and
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| re-contaminate the any computer it is
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| | low-budget software from questionable
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| used with. The only way to properly clean
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| | sources that may be intentionally or
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| an infected floppy disk is to perform a
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| | unintentionally infected with viruses.
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| low-level format. The normal Windows(tm)
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| | Files downloaded directly from the
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| "format disk" is often not enough.
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| | Internet (either through file-sharing
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| With CD's, all the above holds true with
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| | programs or direct download from
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| the exception that an infected CD can
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| | websites), are among the fastest growing
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| never be cleaned. To get rid of an
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| | sources of computer virus infections.
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| infected CD, you need to put it in the
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| | Email, with its nearly universal
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| trash and never use it again.
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| | availability and ease of use; chat rooms
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| Infection from Networks
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| | and messenger systems, not only make
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| Peer-to-Peer network, Local Area Networks
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| | communication simple and quick, also make
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| (LAN), a Wide Area Network (WAN),
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| | the transmission and re-transmission of
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| Wireless Networks, and the Internet, are
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| | infection simple and alarmingly fast.
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| all computer networks. They all have the
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| | Creators of newer viruses, and internet
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| same basic purpose; to share software,
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| | worms specifically target these systems
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| and information resources between two or
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| | because they are widely used, and are
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| more computers. As with anything else
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| | often built right into the operating
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| that is shared between computers,
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| | system and used with default settings
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| networks let users share files, and
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| | making them much easier to attack and
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| wherever files are shared, viruses can be
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| | exploit.
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| shared and spread.
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| | As a point of reference, Internet
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| Most network virus/worm/Trojan activity
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| | Explorer, and Outlook/Outlook express
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| is like what we described earlier,
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| | email clients are two of the applications
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| although more and more examples of
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| | most targeted by Internet viruses and
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| automatic mass mailing attacks, system
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| | worms. Why? Because they are installed on
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| resource attacks are being found.
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| | more computers around the world than any
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| Recently many attacks are designed to
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| | other software, and they are installed
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| specifically target major corporate
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| | 99% of the time with default settings
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| interests (Microsoft, eBay, Amazon, major
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| | (which means virus programmers have an
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| Banks etc.) in an attempt to disrupt
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| | easy blueprint to follow).
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| their online services. Very generally
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| | If you use an email system or instant
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| these are called DOS (denial of service)
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| | message system that is installed
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| attacks. The way they most commonly work
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| | automatically with your computer's
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| is by secretly infecting thousands of
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| | operating system you need to install and
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| local user computers (like the one you
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| | use current antivirus software. You also
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| are using right now), and then at a
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| | need to learn how to turn off certain
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| specific time, launching a combined
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| | default settings that can leave your
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| attack from all the infected machines
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| | system open to very easy attack.
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| against the primary target.
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