Viruses, Worms, Trojans, etc.

Almost everyone will have heard of the problems associated with having a computer on the Internet. Go on the Web unprotected and within a few minutes you will have a computer that is infected, which will show because the computer will slow down, crash or in extreme cases be destroyed.

Infections come in a minimum of five basic forms:

• Virus - a small program that will attack your computer, damaging data and programs.
• Worm - a program spread through e-mail attachments and increasingly by just being on the Web. The worm takes over your system, slowing it down until the computer becomes too slow to use. At the same time the worm is emailing itself to everyone who you have emailed.
• Trojan - a sneaky program that gets on to your computer while looking like something innocent. It can then transmit from your computer, while on line, details of the computer and some of the data that might be on it (including credit card details).
• Dialers - nasty programs that interrupt your modem when on line and then dial out to some premium rate number or international number. The first thing you know about it is when you get a telephone bill for hundreds, or even thousands, of Euro. If this happens, you are liable - you have to pay the bill!!
• Hijackers - programs that take over your browser (Internet Explorer or equivalent). Instead of going to your Home Page you are taken to a site that has shopping, on-line casinos or worse.

All of these can be cured and they can be prevented from coming back again. At the very least you must have an Anti-virus program, a Firewall and good quality Anti-spyware on your computer. Luckily, these protection programs are very cheap and, in many cases absolutely free.

From a basic price of € 50, subject to survey and quotation, get your computer safe to use and be trained to look after it yourself. Contact Ballybar Solutions for more details.

For more information, go to the excellent Government sponsored Web site www.makeITsecure.ie  This page is not intended to scare or frighten, but simply to urge anyone using the Web to take sensible precautions first, or get infected computers seen to as soon as possible.