Sunday, May 18, 1997

Beware of the growing number of computer viruses

By GLENN GAMBOA / Knight-Ridder Newspapers

When it comes to computer viruses, it's hard to separate fact from fiction.

Part of the problem is that the fiction just seems so darn interesting.

Recent movies have been filled with hackers crafting intricate viruses that destroy the financial records of the entire universe or aim all the world's nuclear missiles at some garden spot where college kids are all half-naked on spring break.

That's why when these virus hoaxes pop up, like the "Good Times" hoax of a few years back, people enjoy spreading the word about them. They feel like they are foiling some diabolical international disaster, when, in reality, they're just passing around more junk e- mail.

This would all be relatively harmless if it weren't masking the fact that there really is a growing computer virus problem.

According to a recent survey by the National Computer Security Association, the number of business computers infected by a virus more than tripled in the past year. The Carlisle, Pa.-based association (http://www.ncsa.com) reports that 33 of every 1,000 computers at major corporations are now infected in a given month.

That growth comes even though the use of anti-virus software is up 13 percent for the year.

Although this news may be upsetting for information systems departments around the country, for the average home computer user, it's really not that bad.

"The risk for home computer users is significantly lower," said Jonathan Wheat, senior anti-virus laboratory analyst with the NCSA. "But it is still higher than it used to be. Most users now have an online account and the biggest (virus) carrier is now e-mail."

This doesn't mean you should high-tail it out of cyberspace. Experts say if you follow some easy rules, chances are good you will remain safe.

-- Rule No. 1. Install anti-virus software in your computer. This should be as obvious as plugging in your computer to a surge protector. (And if you haven't done that already, you run the risk of having a lightning storm or a minor power surge turn your computer into a $2,000 paperweight right now.)

Don't skimp on the anti-virus software either. Fork over the 50 bucks to get one of the name brands that offers the broadest protection. Every time the software flags a virus and kills it, you save the time and money it would cost to reinstall everything and reconstruct your lost files.

Once you get the software, you should use it every time. I know it's a hassle and it slows opening programs, but it won't work if you have it turned off.

Also, just because you have the anti-virus software installed doesn't mean your computer is invincible.

The recent "AOL4FREE.com" virus didn't show up in virus scans because it is a "Trojan horse," a program that doesn't spread from computer to computer, but does incredible damage to the computer where it is installed.

(By the way, for those of you keeping score at home, "AOL4FREE" is a hoax. "AOL4FREE.com" is a dangerous Trojan horse that will erase your hard drive.)

-- Rule No. 2. Never download a file attached to an e-mail from someone you don't know. That also means that if you have your computer rigged to automatically download all your e-mail in the middle of the night, make sure you don't use the option that downloads attachments.

Viruses can't travel in e-mail sent in ASCII text. But they can be automatically activated in attachments that are programs.

-- Rule No. 3. Find out what viruses can and can't do. For example, up to this point, no virus can actually damage a hard drive. However, viruses - most notably Rainbow - do exist that make it appear that the hard drive is damaged, making you think that your only choice is to erase the hard drive and start over, when all you need to do is remove the virus.

Another example is with the new crop of "macro viruses," which dwell in macros - short strings of commands within an application. A macro virus cannot be hidden in a text file, but it can be hidden in a template file.

If, for example, you open an infected template in Microsoft Word, one of the applications hardest hit by macro viruses, the program could be told to automatically begin deleting files or mixing up data.

Several sites, including the sites for anti-virus software developer Trend Micro Inc. (http://www.antivirus.com) and Dr. Solomon's Software Inc., (http://www.drsolomon.com) which recently released its first retail product for home computer users, offer virus updates.

-- Rule No. 4. Make sure everyone who uses your computer follows these rules.

"Parents may think that they take the proper precautions, but maybe their kids don't," said Wheat.

And in addition to following the rules, do yourself a favor and back up all your important data. That protects your important work from viruses and freak electronic accidents, as well as the No. 1 threat to data: human error.