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It is like catching the cold virus, it is spread by other people through bacteria, reproducing until the system is infected and sick. No one wants a virus, it does not feel good, and they restrict your activity as well as keep people at a distance from you. The computer virus acts much like the biological virus in that it has the same effects, only it infects files and spreads electronically. In this article I will define the virus, explain how it spreads, and how to tell the difference between a virus and other forms of attacks.

The basic definition of a virus is a series of written instructions in a computer program that is designed to reproduce and infect another computer. It is programming code that’s purpose is to destroy another program. Most of the time a user will not realize that they have a virus because they can take the form of a regular program, or hide deep in your system files unbeknownst to anyone it is there.

Anti-virus programs have been fighting a never-ending battle with hackers, people who want to rip off and spread chaos throughout people’s computers. How do they spread? A real computer virus can only be spread by a human who inserts it into the target computer himself via floppy or disc, or even sending it over the internet.

The first “wild” virus, that is, a virus that appeared out of the computer lab back in the 70′s, actually attacked the Apple DOS system. Back then, the only way to really create a virus and have it spread was through hands-on work like inserting a floppy disk into a computer.

Viruses spread when they are attached to the .exe or executable file. Say you want to open a program that has been on your computer for a while, you trust it to work properly and it does. But a hacker hooks a virus to the .exe file that the next time you open the program the virus takes effect, damaging the files and ruining the program.

That is the main idea of a computer virus, to attach to a file (cell) and jumping to other files like it, until the computer is no longer usable. At Geek Choice calls come in about viruses or recovering a computer from an attack. So what can you do about it to prevent your computer even further than the anti-virus protection is.

When in doubt, and when your computer is definitely infected, choose the System Restore that was explained earlier in the November blogs. This will turn back the clock to a time when  your computer was not infected. But hackers are getting smarter, making their viruses disable the Control Panel, or messing with the System Restore so that the computer gets restored to the same day the virus started.

The difference between the virus and other programs like adware, spyware, and malware, is that the virus spreads and reproduces. It is a catch-all phrase for all the bad stuff that happens on a computer. When something starts to go wrong, people think virus because it makes sense. But knowing exactly what is wrong with your computer can allow whoever you ask to fix it to do it faster and perhaps recover the files.

For all you frugal frogs out there feeling jumpy about paying for that “extra protection” on your Anti-Virus program, here is some information that might help with that decision.

Personally I run two programs on my laptop, AVG and Avast, both on the free plan. That means on the “upgrade” screen that always keeps popping up to remind me to buy the “good” version, mine is the one with only one check next to it while the “good” version is the one with ALL the checks.

If you are unsure about whether to pay that $50 clams for the “good” version, there is a good reason to hesitate. AVG, or Anti Virus Guard, used to be free with all the protection available. Then it was bought out and was offered at a price, but what happened to the protection? You might have noticed the pop-up feature, and it pops up once per day for one month each year, all this is designed to make you buy the better version.

The free antivirus kit has less protection now, it has an outdated search tool for rootkits, which is malware that enables continuous access to a computer. Apparently the older free version 7.5 can search and root-out rootkits, but the newer version  lacks any ability to do anything like protect your computer from such a threat, which is a dangerous one.

Are you thinking what I am thinking? If this trend of taking off protection on the free versions continues, then that so called anti-virus will no longer be free, it will cost you a crashed PC!

The recommended version of AVG includes online and identity protection, anti-spam, and enhanced firewall, along with the basic free version features of High Speed Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware with auto updates and LinkScanner for safe searching.

In a test run by PC World who were also concerned with this question, the results came in with AVG at number 3, Avast at number 2, and Avira AntiVir Personal came in at number 1 for detection, disinfection, and speed. The test was run through a program AV-Test based in Germany, and these three along with Microsoft Security Essentials, who came right behind AVG in the rankings, PC Tools, Comodo, Panda Cloud, and ClamWin.

That old adage comes back with “nothing is free”. If you want the best protection from those viruses, spam, and malicious software that is constantly attacking people’s computers, then you better whip out the dollars and pay up. It is unfortunate that there is no altruistic company out there offering it’s security for free, like Microsoft Security Essentials is boasting, but that is reality. I just checked my AVG’s status, and it told me LinkScanner and other “paid for” features are running smoothly. Interesting, very interesting how they offer this for a price yet it tells me I can use it for free.

The decision is yours, the information that Anti-Virus programs gives you is very confusing, so consulting with others is strongly recommended to get a good opinion on the right program.

If you are new to the Geek Choice Blogs, then you are in for an awakening, as this blog is where you can come for the TRUTH. We are hit with information as soon as we wake up and it lasts all day until we go unconscious. This can lead to health problems, as well as bad habits, so at this blog we try to alleviate the symptoms by cutting out all the B.S. and getting down to the facts.

The fact is that leaving your PC unprotected, or relying on some third rate anti-virus program, is not just unsafe it is down right ignorant. Microsoft has released a security tool for everyone to use, oh boy! Is it what you need during these times of dangerous, unsecured websites, drive-by attacks by hackers, and malicious downloads that you don’t even know is happening?

Microsoft Security Essentials, the new free anti-virus software that replaces Windows Live OneCare which costs money and only protected against adware and spyware, is available for all. It will protect you from not just these two attacks, but also from rootkits, malware, viruses, and Trojans. It goes back to Windows xp, Windows Vista, and Windows 7. But there is some drawbacks here that are significant enough to complain about.

The first is that you need a computer that has a valid license to run Windows. This leaves a whole slew of companies with their computers unaccepted thus unprotected. By throwing this software into as many computers as they can, which is Microsoft’s aim, to give freely of what they found to be a “super” deal. Do not be too sure.

Think if this anti-virus program made up the majority of protection for millions of people with computers. Green light for hackers, red light for you. By trying to be altruistic Microsoft seems to have mixed motives. Maybe if this software was perfect in every way and made life worry free, then we wouldn’t have to explain the truth to you: Microsoft is looking out for themselves, the selfish company.

It is interesting how all these anti-virus competitor companies such as McAfee, Symantec, and Norton dismiss Microsoft Security Essentials as being insignificant compared to their programs. Yet their shares have fallen drastically since the release of MSE in July of 2009 when they released the beta. Who is right? Who is wrong? It seems the war against viruses has turned inward and now a battle for supremacy over who is the most protecting has taken over. What about us?

If you are looking for the right anti-virus program, I urge you to test each one out. Try Microsoft Security Essentials, see how it fits with your system. Do not take the word of any blog, article, or anyone who tells you that their software is the best. The world we live in is hostile, so take the right actions to prevent your personal and business life from being invaded.

These anti-virus programs all work. It is just a matter of scanning for the truth and quarantining the lies.

Yes, you have started to hear no doubt about the holidays and all it’s wonderful magic. No doubt you have also heard about being safe, usually in reference to too much drinking at those awkwardly awful family parties and the weather. But at Geek Choice we want to key you in on more important matters: your computer safety.

How safe is your computer? If you use the internet you take the risk of catching a virus, like the cold it can be prevented if you take certain steps. No I am not talking about downloading the latest anti-virus software or the cool new tool that can fly around your computer like superman saving your files from the evil file corrupter.

I am talking about what is already on your computer, like your web browser whether that be Internet Explorer, Firefox, or Chrome, that have the tools you need to protect yourself. You can find these tools in the ‘Tools’ menu bar located at the top of your browser. Look at ‘options’ on Firefox or ‘security zones’ on Internet Explorer. By telling your browser exactly what type of sites it is allowed to visit and the level of restriction, you are ensuring that you will be protected from spyware, unwanted advertisements, and those “drive-by” downloads.

You may have heard recently that there was a big “drive-by” attack that hackers did on IE6. What happened was that hackers were able to get into a certain website and make links using the sites name to another website, which people visited, and got screwed because just by being on the site malicious software and viruses were downloaded to people’s computers.They are still doing it on IE8, so be careful.

That is just one example of how easy it is for hackers to get into your system, simply by taking over a website and waiting for a user to walk aimlessly into the site, unaware that they will be regretting not listening to this blog and taking the necessary steps to prevent such a thing!

One of these steps involves securing your email, particularly in Outlook. A common pitfall that is easily overlooked is the text. You have two choices: HTML-Text, or Plain Text, which is better? It is not a question of better, but safer. HTML might look good, but in the long run it is dangerous because this is where all those phishing scams thrive on. By using Plain Text it disables the Active Content that opens email attachments automatically, and allows safer emailing.

Instant Messaging worms have become more and more vicious and prevalent in today’s internet world. Be careful when talking with your friends online, be wary of ‘Away’ messages, because if you are chatting with someone who sent you a malicious worm or virus masquerading as a link somewhere infected you could be in for a bad time. You can usually tell when a message like in email that is suspicious.

Hackers are always looking for new ways to get into your computer and screw things up. Do not allow them to, especially during the holidays when you should be out gallivanting around with your family enjoying the holiday spirit.

Flash Drives, or SSD (Solid-State Drives as they are not commonly known) have become one of the best ways to transfer information from on computer to another. It is so simple, you plug in this little piece of plastic with a USB connector into the proper receptacle on the desktop or laptop, and presto there are your saved files, reports, presentations, and homework papers.

SSD’s are like HDD’s or Hard Disk Drives in the sense that they are a data storage unit. The difference is that it is not a disk, but a microchip. This makes data storage more durable, as it is encased in plastic it can withstand shock and temperature damage, it also provides a longer life as it does not need batteries . SSD’s became popular in the military in the 90′s for it’s fast and reliable use when dealing with enemies and missions.

Flash Drive got the name for it’s ability to erase with the speed that of a camera’s flash.

It has become widely used by students today. They are the perfect tool for getting the homework, research papers, and essays done on time. It makes the student’s life easier because they can do the work out on their laptop or desktop at home, save it to the Flash Drive, and bring it to school to print it out.

They used to be costly to buy, now they are only $10 to $15 dollars depending  on how much memory you buy. They go as low as 4GB and get up to 16GB.

Protection

One thing that is a drawback of the Flash Drive is it’s vulnerability to viruses and malicious software, or mal-ware. For example, when you save the work you did all night, the last night before it is due, and take it to school to print out. Sure, when you save it on YOUR computer it is free of any viruses, but you do not know what kind of mischief is lingering on the school computers. Chances are they are filled with crap just waiting for a USB Flash Drive to plug in so they can invade it. Say goodbye to that hard worked, procrastinated paper. Those worms that squirm around computers that are unsafe can ruin you just by plugging in your Flash Drive.

So how can you protect yourself from this threat?

Download this free anti-virus software that can scan for viruses within Flash Drives here. By doing this you ensure that your work will be safe, because you can run system checks to see if has any potential viruses before you plug it back into your home computer. That is the last thing you need, a worm working it’s way through every computer that you put your dirty little Flash Drive in.

Another little tip to top the virus trick can be downloaded free here, this will make sure that when you plug in your Flash Drive that it won’t immediately jump out and start screwing up. By disabling the Autorun file, you will have to open it manually, but if that is the price to pay for being safe? Take it.

If you have a PC, then you have a problem. It comes with the package when you first open up the box and plug in your computer. You cannot escape it, this inevitable attack on your privacy is something we all have to live with, but is there protection out there that will totally 100% stop thieves and hackers from messing with our computer?

Opinions vary on this issue, some think the idea preposterous and others are more sure of an anti-virus security that is able to protect the computer.

It all depends on what kind of security software you are using. Beware: just because a software like Norton or McAfee comes built-in and ready to go on a new computer does NOT mean that it is a good choice in protection. There have been a lot of complaint recently about this conundrum of having to deal with all these programs that are already installed on the computer, and cannot be removed. So what do can you do to find the right software?

Research. Read blogs like this one. Educate yourself, knowledge of which security programs work and which suck ultimately comes down to experience. In the case of internet and computer security, hearing about other people’s experiences with certain anti-virus software and how they either saved them or failed them is important information to people like you and me who might be clueless.

Let’s look at the record.

Firewall does not always protect your internet from being invaded by hackers, especially Windows firewall. In the past this has not worked, so check the record, for the future do not put your PC at risk by settling on a crappy firewall service. Firewall comes from the original lack of internet security back in the 80′s when the Morris Worm spread its way to thousands of computers shutting them down because there was unlimited access.

Firewall was introduced to restrict access. It acts as a traffic check, looking at all the communication coming into the computer and seeing if it matches with its own protocol. Web browsing, remote printing, email transmission, and file transfer are common forms of traffic that are stopped at the firewall. If it does not recognize the packet of information in the files coming in, it will ask you for permission to let it into your system.

For example: you just installed a business application that needs access to the internet in order to get updates. In order for this program to work properly, you need to give it the okay to access the internet, a box appears with yes or no. Firewall is very important in protecting your computer against attacks.

Best Anti-Virus Software

If you are cheap like me, then you are looking for the best anti-virus software that has the magical four lettered word attached to it: FREE. For this I choose Avira AntiVir Personal, where a lot of people chose this option based on its virus scan engine called “Luke Filewalker”. Very clever, they deserve a round of applause for that one! Unfortunately, as is the case with free programs, it lacks what you could get with the premium package. There is no email protection, parental controls, anti-spam, or firewall with the free program.

I recommend downloading Comodo’s Free Firewall to bolster the defenses along with Avira to make sure your computer is completely safe. To answer the debate about perfect protection? The answer lies in what steps you are willing to take against attackers by paying money for software or finding security programs that are free and can do what you need them to do so you can go along your way without worries.

If you use either Symantec Norton Anti-Virus 2010 or McAfee Virus Scan Plus 2010, you might be interested in knowing that a recent report by AV-Comparatives — an Austrian non-profit that assesses differences between anti-virus software, informing the public of their findings — concludes that Microsoft Security Essentials runs faster than the two aforementioned competitors.

Still, Microsoft Security Essentials placed 6th overall amongst 16 products tested by the firm. Coming in at the 8 spot was Symantec Norton Anti-Virus 2010, while McAfee VirusScan Plus 2010 came in 10th place. Microsoft Security Essentials was rated “very fast” in every test category, with just one other anti-virus program — F-Secure Anti-Virus 2010 — qualifiying for the “very fast” honor in every test category.

This is of particular significance for those of you looking to install a security solution that doesn’t hinder the performance of your computer, a problem that persists with many anti-virus programs.

Microsoft Security Essentials has received high marks for its relative lack of bloat and fast performance. More enticing, Microsoft Security Essentials is free, making it the superior alternative to anti-virus solutions that are both costly and less efficient.

You can grab Microsoft Security Essentials here.

If you’re interested in reading more about the findings from AV-Comparatives, here’s their PDF.

Below, you’ll find a chart detailing the results of their assessment:

If you’re a user of Avast, the popular anti-virus program developed by ALWIL software, you should know that a recent definition update (those routine downloads that keep the virus definitions of your anti-virus software current) tagged hundreds of valid files as security threats.

The company promptly responded to the error, summarily releasing a fix just hours later. However, users are still burdened with the task of reinstalling those legitimate files.

Aiding in that effort, Avast has an easy to follow guide that walks you through the process of recovering files incorrectly tagged as threats.

In the event you’re using Avast 5 beta  or Avast 4.8, this solution may not be effective, requiring that you run a fresh reinstall of programs to which the tagged files are linked.

That’s certainly a frustrating solution, one that some users may have no choice but to use.  To date, there is no single solution that works for every user. So, read the instructions provided by Avast. If that works, great — but you may have to reinstall the program if their solution fails to deliver.

If you’re an Avast user and you suspect this bungled update has affected the performance of your computer, call our office. Geek Choice is always here to assist you.

Many of our customers know how high our opinion of AVG is. This award-winning anti-virus and security software is one of the most effective countermeasures to the always looming threat of maleware that stalks the internet during your jaunts through its halls. Previously, it came in two versions, the professional version and a free trial version that eventually requires you to upgrade after prolonged use.

If you’re someone familiar with the trial version, you know all too well how frustrating it was to boot up your computer and find that you were no longer able to use its services. While the professional version is a more robust version, offering real-time protection where the trial version placed the onus on you to run the scans, none of us frown upon those things which are free.

Well, AVG is now offering their latest update to the free package – version 9.0 – to the public for as many uses as they choose.

Yes, that’s right.

No matter how long you have this version, or how many times you use it, AVG Free 9.0 is yours forever. You won’t be prompted to upgrade to the professional version – ever. It’s completely free, available for unlimited use, and just as powerful as the previous iterations of what was once the “trial” version.

Of course, as was the case before, the free version will still not offer real-time protection. The benefit of real-time protection is knowing that you’re always secure, no matter what you’re doing, the AVG protection steeling you against malware threats while running in the background.

However, for those of you are vigilant and pro-active when tending to the security of your computers, this is as good as it gets.

Download AVG Free 9.0 here.

Virgin America has teamed up with Google to offer customers free in-flight WiFi between November 10th, 2009 and January 15th, 2010. If you get the opportunity to take advantage of this special offer from Virgin America, the security of your internet will probably be the last thing on your mind, but it shouldn’t be. Any time that your computer is connected to a public wireless network without proper precautions, you’re at risk.

When you’re on an open wireless network with other people, those other users can do more than just access the internet; they can get into your computer as well. Any information that you don’t have properly protected can be opened, copied, or even deleted from another computer without so much as a notification to you. It might seem a bit unlikely that someone would do something so drastic, but remember that you’re going to be on a plane for several hours with a bunch of other people who have nothing better to do than push boundaries. Depending on the quality of the in-flight movie, you might have a fellow passenger who thinks it’s more entertaining to watch you panic. (They exist, check out the NY Times article The Trolls Among Us if you can’t believe it.)

The good news is that you can do something about it. In addition to your standard firewall and anti-virus, there are several methods that our certified techs can use to secure your system and keep all of your private files private. Call today to set up an appointment with one of our techs, whether you’re hopping on a Virgin America flight or not.

That disgruntled kid in the seat next to you will just have to surf the free internet instead.