STS: Student Technology Services

Viruses, worms, hackers and spyware/adware cause serious computer problems for millions of users worldwide and do billions of dollars worth of damage every year. However, most of the time, these problems can be avoided. By taking a few simple steps to secure your computer before problems begin (and before that big term paper is due!), you can potentially save yourself hours of lost time or work and keep your computer running smoothly. Always do the following:

What is a virus?

A virus is a malicious program that will cause serious problems on an infected computer. Some viruses exist only to spread themselves from computer to computer via email (and can later be used by spammers to distribute millions of spam emails), while others can delete important system files, rendering an infected computer inoperable. A Trojan Horse virus can grant unauthorized access to your computer, allowing a hacker to use your computer maliciously and giving him access to sensitive financial or personal data stored on your hard drive. Regardless of the type, a virus must be triggered by the user. Opening suspicious email attachments is one way that your computer may become infected. If you do not recognize the sender or the filename, you should not open an email attachment. Viruses are also often embedded in files on the internet as well. Be especially wary of files with multiple extensions, such as picture.gif.exe These files, such as the example below, are almost always malicious.

What is a worm?

A worm is similar to a virus in that it is a malicious program designed to spread itself to other networked computers and cause damage. However, a worm does not require user intervention to infect a computer. A worm exploits a security hole in the operating system on a computer or in any program that connects to the internet. These holes are frequently patched by the software vendors, so the best way to prevent infection is to keep your operating system up to date. If you need help configuring your operating system for Automatic Updating, please click here. Every computer user shares responsibility to keep the GW network worm free -- it only takes one infected computer to spread a worm among vulnerable computers inside the network.

Remember, this bubble is important- don't just close it or ignore it!

What is spyware/adware?

Spyware or adware is a type of software designed to monitor your activities online and report them back to the software distributor. Examples of this type of software are Gator/Claria, WebHancer, and Bonzi Buddy. These companies use the data collected by the software to target popup advertising and spam email. Some examples of spyware activity are:

large amounts of pop-up advertising
noticeable degradation in computer performance
altered home page/browser settings

In most cases, spyware requires your permission prior to installation, which makes the program and its activities legal. Spyware is frequently bundled with 'freeware' programs such as Weatherbug and peer-to-peer software.

Note the adware bundled with this popular freeware program

To avoid inadvertently installing spyware on your computer, always read everything before agreeing to install software, especially software you have downloaded for free from the internet.

If it seems like a program may be attempting to do something unexpected, do not continue the installation or grant it permission. If spyware is already resident on your computer (or if you're not sure you have spyware), there are programs available from several vendors that will search for spyware. Ad-Aware and Spybot Search and Destroy are examples of these utilities, and can be downloaded for free:

Issues caused by Spyware

Spyware, by design, monitors your activity online and reports your movements back to its creator. This invasion of privacy alone is enough reason to remove it from your computer. However, spyware also causes problems with your computer. These include:

Inability to use computer because spyware is using all available processing power
Disruption of internet connection due to corrupted/deleted system files
Possible display of offensive or embarassing content in unsolicited pop-up windows
Increased vulnerability to viruses or worms
System crash or total system failure

Removing spyware from your computer is a good way to maintain a safe computing environment - and you'll likely notice a marked improvement in system performance.

My computer has a virus- what should I do?

Even if you have taken all necessary precautions, your computer may still become infected. Depending on the type of infection, there are different removal tools which can be run. In some cases, the infection is too severe for use of a removal tool. If you need help, ISS Student Technology Services provides virus removal services, and can be contacted at (202) 994-7041.

I have antivirus software, but I still got a virus. How did that happen?

Running antivirus software is a good first step toward protecting your computer from viruses. However, antivirus software is only effective when it is kept up to date and is allowed to do its job. Be sure to update the virus definition files regularly, and perform a scan on your computer on a regular basis -- once a week or more is advisable. Also, ensure that any real-time scanning features available are enabled, as this will scan files as they are accessed to prevent accidental infection. If you don't already have it, The George Washington University provides Norton Antivirus free of charge to the University community. For instruction on downloading and installing Symantec Antivirus click here.

What is a firewall?

A firewall is a piece of hardware or software designed to prevent unauthorized intrusion into your computer. Windows XP and Vista have a software firewall included in the operating system. For instructions on enabling the Windows Firewall, please click here for Windows XP or click here for Windows Vista.

What is a "strong" password?

A strong password is a password that cannot be easily guessed or broken. Passwords that include names, nicknames, pets or birthdays are bad ideas- always use a password that combines a word with numbers and symbols, such as the example below. Using both lowercase and capital letters can also make your password harder to break. Click here for more help with passwords.

samp1ep@55W0rd

I get tons of pop-ups. What should I do?

Many pop-up windows are generated by spyware/adware (you might want to refer back to the spyware/adware section of this page for instructions on how to check your computer for this type of malware). However, pop-ups are also generated by some websites. To avoid this, you may want to try a browser with an integrated pop-up blocker. With the release of Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2, Internet Explorer gained a integrated pop-up blocker. Mozilla Firefox, the Mozilla Suite, and Opera are all free browsers that offer pop-up blocking, as well as other great security and usability features. Give one (or all) of them a shot!

Stay one step ahead

By staying informed, you can learn about emerging threats before your computer is affected. Check out some of the following sites for information about viruses, vulnerabilities and patches:

Any questions?

This page was designed as an introductory guide to securing your computer. If you have any questions which were not addressed here, please contact ISS Student Technology Services at (202) 994-7041 or by email at sts@gwu.edu. Information Systems and Services also provides a guide on the ISS Helpdesk website.