Worms are for Fishing, not Phishing!

What are worms? They are very similar to viruses, but they do not require active user interaction to spread. Worms take advantage of file transport methods like email or network connections. While a virus lingers in the system it has infected, waiting to be put into action, or executed, a worm works independently and is much more active in spreading itself.

A well know example of a worm is the Conficker worm. This particular worm broke out in 2008, infecting up to 15 million computers. It was spread through vulnerabilities in the Windows code. Computers were compromised via the disabling of certain software services such as Windows update.

 Like any other computer infection, a worm is a program that can replicate itself. Worms can spread from machine to machine independently, use up computer processing time and bandwidth when the replicate, and can potentially be very damaging to your computer. Typically they exploit a weakness in your computer's security or Operating System. They often move around and infect other machines via networks. Some worms open what are known as back doors, allowing hackers (people not you, and not your friends that you've given permission to use the computer) to take control of your computer to launch other programs (making your computer in effect, their zombie!). Once this happens that hacker has access to information stored on your computer.

That might not seem like much, but it means they have access to your banking if you use your computer to conduct online banking. It can mean they have access to your social security information... yes, everything that you use your computer for can effectively be ripe for the picking.

So what should you do? *yes after you have a good sniffle into your wooby.*

Virus protection, people. Get your computer a condom (firewall) and teach it all about playing safely on the internet.
Keep your operating system current.
Update your virus protection and firewall(s) frequently.

Watch for suspicous activity on your computer.

And when in doubt? Go to one of the reliable sources of information (something with a .gov or .edu in the domain name is a good place to start)...
Take a computer fundamentals course so your have a solid base in how to deal with these and other basic computing issues...
And if all else fails, don't be afraid to ask for help from a reputable source like your Computing professor, or another professional such as the experts like those on the Geek Squad.

If there's help and hope for even a silly little Amoeba like me to be able to take care of her computer in the wild and woolly world of the ginormous Web-tastic Internet, there's gotta be hope for you too. Again, good luck, and happy, virus, worm, and trojan free trails to you!

Viruses: Spread, Effects, and Prevention

Nearly everyone who has spent any time at all around the internet has heard of the dreaded computer virus. We all have some idea what a virus in cyber space is, because we've all heard of common human ailments like colds and various types of flu. If you imagine your computer being able to catch a "computer cold" you've pretty much got the concept.

No one, not even your computer, wants to be sick. It makes us tired, so we do things more slowly than normal, and sometimes we do ordinary tasks poorly. A computer virus has the same sort's of effects on your computer that a nasty cold or bout of the flu has on you. It's irksome and debilitating, but only likely to be dangerous if left untreated.

Definition of a Virus
According to US-CERT, A computer virus is a program that spreads by first infecting files or the system areas of a computer or network router's hard drive and then making copies of itself. Some viruses are harmless, others may damage data files, and some may destroy files. Viruses used to be spread when people shared floppy disks and other portable media, now viruses are primarily spread through email messages.

For our purposes, you only need to know that like a human virus, computer viruses first infect a host, and then replicate themselves. It's a lot more complicated than Amy Amoeba's replication to the right... They need a portal of entry, a place to attach to their host, a manner of replication, and then a port of exit.

Unlike worms, viruses often require some sort of user action (e.g., opening an email attachment or visiting a malicious web page) to spread. In a lot of ways the virus is not so different from we amoebas... They just want to live and replicate. The problem that occurs is that in order to do so, human viruses hijack the human body. Computer viruses hijack the computer's brain, and affect all of it's functions.

Again, according to US-CERT, or the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team: A virus is simply a computer program--it can do anything that any other program you run on your computer can do. Some viruses are designed to deliberately damage files, and others may just spread to other computers.

Signs and Symptoms of Infection
If left untreated viruses can have a high cost. Let's look at some of the symptoms that may alert you to a possible computer virus:
1) Computer is slow to start up.
2) Icons disappear from start-up screen.
3) Files will not open or have missing or garbled information.
4)Computer shuts down unexpectedly.

While all of these may be caused by other issues, it is always wise to check for a virus. The cost of not checking could well be far more than you want to pay, in lost time, work, and replacement fees for irreparably damaged equipment.

What to do before, during, and after an infection
The first thing you'll want to do is find and install a good virus protection program if your computer did not come with one already installed. Most computers now come with a trial version of one of the more well known virus protection programs, like McAfee, or Norton. I personally like to use Kaspersky, because for me, they are the most Amoeba friendly. I take a while to warm up to new systems and programs, but Kaspersky has a very Keep-It-Simple approach that works well with my little amoeba brain. And hey, anything that is going to keep my computer running at peak performance levels is something I'm definitely in favor of. Kaspersky warns me in terms I understand if the program finds a suspicious attachment or activity, and the peace of mind that brings to me is priceless.

Know what normal operations for your computer should look like. Install a virus protection program, and then check for viruses by running a scan for all known viruses at least once a week. You can do this by scheduling the scans to take place automatically. Make sure to update your virus protection and computer operating system frequently. Using automated methods of doing this, from trusted sources is a good way to make sure you don't forget. And finally, if your computer is infected with a virus, a good virus protection program will help you isolate and remove the viruses.

Remember, if you're coming to this after you've already been infected, you can still get a good virus protection program and clean up your computer. If the virus has progressed far enough to cause permanent damage, you may have to repair or replace some things, but even so you're a step ahead now, because you know have the power of knowledge. You know what to do to protect yourself and your computer. You know what an infection looks like, and you know the first steps to take to get your computer running at peak performance again. If you are unable to figure out everything, you can try using your virus protection's technical support team... when you paid for the virus protection, if you went with one of the three mentioned in this blog post they all come with tech support (and that's often a must-have for we Amoebas). Whatever brand of virus protection you choose to use, be sure to check on whether they offer tech support. It can be a handy, and cost saving resource.

So, there are a lot of ways you can get a virus, probably as many as there are avenues of entry into your computing device. There are Boot-Sector viruses that can be spread by booting up your computer with an infected thumb drive or disc inserted into your computer.
Easy fix?
Sure. Don't start your computer with a thumb drive in, and scan both your thumb drives and discs frequently to ensure they do not have viruses lurking on them.
There are Logic and Time bombs, Scrip and Macro Viruses...

Let's keep this simple though... if you see one or more of the signs or symptoms, stop, drop and roll... yep just like the old fire-fighter drill, but with a difference. Stop what your are doing. Yes right now. Drop the mouse clicker on your virus protection icon, pull it up, and Roll the virus scan. Keeping it simple, keeping it real. It's never gonna be a hundred percent safe to engage with others on the net. However, if you take some fairly simple precautions, you can surf the net with a high degree of safety, and when it's simply unavoidable that you catch the latest virus making the rounds, you can be aware of the signs and symptoms, and get your computer the "first aid" it needs in a timely fashion.  From one Amoeba to another, go forth and play in the shiny internet... and happy virus free surfing to you!

Trojan Horses

I’m sure we all have heard the story of how Odysseus and the Greek’s took over the city of Troy in the Trojan War.  By building a giant wooden horse and hiding some men in there, with a little deceit, the Greeks were able to infiltrate the city and brought about devastation while the Trojans were celebrating what they thought to be a victory.  

Similar to Greek mythology, today's online version of Trojan horses are  forms of malicious software that can hide their true identities in what appears to be an innocent program.  Once installed, the Trojan can access files on your computer and transmit any important information over the internet.  It separates itself from viruses and worms because it does not replicate itself and infect other files.

There are four types of Trojan horses; remote access Trojans, backdoor Trojans, IRC Trojans and key logging Trojans.  Remote access Trojans allows the malware to gain administrative control over your computer, giving its own permission to do almost anything whether it is accessing personal information, formatting the drives associated with your computer, deleting or altering existing files, or even activating your webcam or microphone and recording.  Backdoor Trojans work in conjunction with remote access Trojans in the way that they open a gateway for someone to gain access to your computer.  The IRC Trojan uses an Internet Relay Chat server to send a command to multiple computers and uses them as a network.  These differ from the previous two because the person behind the malware does not issue commands directly through the “back door” but rather through an IRC server. Last, but not least, key loggings Trojans simply record everything you type.  It can be as simple as that, or as complex as to noticing when you open your browser and go to a desired website with log in information and just recording that.

Although there are different types of Trojans, most hacks use multiple types to get what they want.  This often leads to what is referred to as a zombie computer, or bot computers.  Computers attacked by this malware may seem seamlessly normal, but in reality, it is being used as a host to generate spam emails, impose more Trojan horses, and go after websites with a Distributed Denial of Service. A DDos attack engulfs a website or system with information, ultimately leading up to a crash.  It is these kinds of computers, which usually work in a network instead of individually, that make the internet the hazardous place it is today.

With all that being said, there are a number of ways that you can avoid being infected by Trojan horses.  For example, don’t open emails or download attachments from people or organizations you do not know, avoid download an subsequently installing those programs from publishers you do not trust, and use a firewall software and an antivirus program to help prevent malicious data from gaining access and even removing any kind of malware that may be on your computer already.  Trojans are easier to avoid than other types of malware because it is at the discretion of the user, that is that the user must initiate some kind of action to acquire the Trojan. 

Simple Stuff to get Started

Well, hello there friend! I see you're a little amoeba like me, and you've found the web, or internet. It can be a very shiny happy place, and with a little knowledge and preventative care, also can be a fun and safe place to play.

You've probably been using other people's computers for a while now, perhaps at school or work. You've begun to think you'd like to get the next best thing for your own home or to carry around with you, but feel a little unsure of exactly what you should be looking for.

Well, first of all you'll need to figure out what you want to use the computer for. Gamers require different things from casual users, and someone who is going to primarily use their computer for writing stories (like me) is going to have very different requirements from someone who wants to edit videos or music. Once you know what you want to use the computer for, you'll have a better guide for what you should buy.

1)Decide how much portability you'll need. Do you need a computer that you can take with you around town or around the world? Then you may need a laptop, netbook, tablet pc, or an ultrabook. Each has differing strengths and weaknesses. Some are lighter, but sacrifice memory to achieve this. Some have more memory, but burn through stored energy (battery time) quicker as a result.

2) Decide if you need a computer geared to handle heavy gaming or one for editing video or simply one to use for your college classes or for business tasks which involve writing multiple documents and presenting them in a power point format. Each of these things will affect what type of computer will work best for you.

3) Depending on what you plan to use your computer for, you may have varying input port needs.

The more detail you can put into what you are going to use your computer for, the more likely you are to end up with a good match for your needs. Even better, the more likely you are to know when you need to upgrade certain components or add new ones.

Now that you have some idea of how to go about choosing a computer, even if you still need a travel guide, you'll at least know what "computer country" you want them to guide you into!

Although I wouldn't advise you trust everything Wiki tells you, as of today this Wiki How-To page has some great suggestions on how to go about picking out a computer laid out in a step by step manner.
Wiki How To
Or, you can check out this handy video for a quick and dirty rundown on how to choose a computer.

Good Luck!

The Wonders and Worries of the World Wide Web

Everyone, and yes, I do mean everyone needs to know a few basic facts about internet security. Even techno-amoebas can learn a few simple tricks and stratagems that will allow them to operate in the wild, wide world of the internet in relative safety. 

Let's start out with an easy little introductory video to show you why this might be important to you.

All right... are you convinced yet that you might need to know a little about how to keep yourself safe in the wild and woolly world of cyberspace?

Yes?

Okay, then let's get going and help you find a well lit path through the dangers of the web. There are loads of wonderful programs, websites, and repositories of knowledge out here on the web that can greatly enrich your life... especially if you have a basic working knowledge of how to get to and from them in relative safety.

Why don't we start by looking at some of the things you might need to have, and then we'll get more in depth on how to keep those necessary tools as well as your personal information safe as you travel the World Wide Web.