Another Day With My PC

Malware could be very unforgiving when it decides to strike. While some unwanted programs would already be contented in creating small shanties for themselves inside your hard drive and just monitor everything that you do, others are not so passive and will pillage your system until they are the only applications left in it.

Of course, antivirus and anti-spyware programs are always there to save the day. But what if the carnage happened before you installed your security suites?

The Easy Step / Solution

Before anything else, let me just make it clear that anti-malware programs will still work even if you install them after your PC gets infected. Antivirus programs do not just prevent unwanted apps from entering into your system, but they also remove those which have already injected themselves therein.

The most common solution to an infection is to run a thorough virus or anti-spyware scan over your entire system. The security suites would automatically do the detection and removal of the malicious programs. Most of the time, the detection and removal will be successful. However, things will become a little bit different and complicated when the infection is so severe and it already involves vital system files.

It Doesn’t Always Win

There are times when security software cannot safely remove a virus from a file. Even if it can, doing so might render the file useless as the removal process could damage the data. In cases like this one, what the antivirus program usually does is to just leave the file as it is and recommends that you replace it with a new but similar one. This may seem easy, but I’m telling you that it isn’t. Take note that many programs come from zipped or compressed files. This means that you can’t just look for the infected program’s installation disk and get the needed file therein. You won’t find it in the disk. What you’ll probably see is just a few compressed files that need to be decompressed or unzipped first.

The Final Solution

If the infection is extremely severe, such as when a variety of malware have already nailed a “home sweet home” sign in your computer, then opening your antivirus to extract a cure may already be futile. The infestation in this case is already so serious that you cannot anymore remove the unwanted programs without damaging the whole operating system.

If your antivirus cannot remove many of the malware found in your system and you can’t also delete the infected file because it is vital to your system’s operation, then the only viable and effective solution to the problem would be to reformat your hard drive and reinstall your OS. This may seem a very tedious task that but a pandemic definitely requires the most extreme solution.

Fresh Start

Reformatting your hard disk and reinstalling your operating system would give you a fresh start in your effort to keep your system free from malware. A reformat would wipe out all programs, good or bad. As with all fresh starts or second chances, make sure that you won’t have to go into that situation again where you have to go back to the drawing board. Before you go online or introduce other programs aside from your OS, make sure that you install an antivirus and a registry cleaner first. This would ensure that no malicious program would get in your way when you surf the Web or run any application.

I’m sure you’ll agree with me that having the biggest or the latest doesn’t exactly mean having the best. There are things which just should not be altered or be reincarnated into something which purports to be a better version of the original.

Of course, I’m talking about software here, although I’m sure you could sew hundreds of threads on this subject without mentioning malware, antivirus, or God-forbid, Microsoft. Going back to my blabber, there are applications that seem to be already perfect as they are, even if they were made during the Reagan administration. Altering them would be unforgivable, while replacing them would be sacrilegious.

Necessary Evil

While I’m one with the nostalgic few in romanticizing 0.2 MB applications, I must admit that software must eventually put on some weight in order to be able to pack a punch that would actually hurt. While keeping it simple may be the way to go as far as keeping everything neat and practical is concerned, such is an ideal that only a handful of software makers are willing to embrace (probably due to lack of resources).

Dual Core, Do More

I’m sure you’re already familiar with Intel’s Core 2 Duo slogan. The chipmaker’s new processor could definitely do more than just run a single program. In fact, it could shuffle applications as big as the marshmallow man with such flamboyance that one might think that one processor would already be enough to power ten PC units.

It would be a shame then, if all those muscles would just go to waste. Naturally, software makers would be encouraged (or tempted) to pack their products with a few more pounds in order to exploit the steroid-enhanced chips that are fast becoming mainstream.

Man’s ideas are infinite. Programs and its functions are products of some geek’s wild but profitable imagination. Ergo, icons illustrating a program’s features or capabilities could clutter the whole user interface. And with the virtually unlimited might of processors today, you can be sure that software designers would not be holding their horses when adding components to their creations.

Security

Not every chowhound application is detestable, though. Many a times, there are valid reasons why programmers choke their creations with hundreds of megabytes.

Malware is one of the leading causes of software bloat. You can’t expect software authors to just let their applications be mangled by viruses. In order to insulate their masterpieces from cyber graffiti, they have to pump in vaccines in the form of additional algorithms or programming instructions in order to ensure that it won’t get easily messed up by any malicious application. While antivirus and anti-spyware programs are already becoming regular mainstays in every PC unit, software makers are still fencing their applications in order to forestall any attack that security suites might not be able to prevent.

Not So Evil After All

The next time Microsoft or Apple announces the arrival of a successor to a popular software of theirs, clip that eyebrow of yours for a sec and see if it deserves your cynicism. While having the biggest or the latest may not always be a good thing, the caveat is also definitely not the general rule.

If you’re in the habit of using your Web cam as a mirror (through the Web cam window, of course), this worrying piece of fact might encourage you to go back to the more traditional way of looking at your reflection.

PC security analysts have confirmed that it is possible for a third person to take control of your camera and see everything that it’s focused on. While this fact may seem quite far-fetched, it isn’t exactly a scene taken out of Star Wars or Star Trek.

As Long as it’s Connected

Many harbor the misconception that hackers cannot access the peripherals that are appended on a PC. Indeed, many malicious attacks mainly centers on taking over one’s unit by injecting various forms of malware into the hard drive or altering the system registry so that the operating system would perform functions or instructions that could seriously compromise the performance of the system.

The erroneous perception may seem illogical, considering that a device attached to the PC is very much a part of the PC. Hence, one should not be surprised if a college geek could print out his report on his dean’s printer located a few buildings away from his dormitory. Peripherals are the limbs of a computer. Hence, if you’re able to control central nervous system of a PC, then every device that is connected to it is at your every beck and call.

Building Gates

Securing your system from external threats is not that difficult. The task of barricading your PC with barbed wires is easier than trying to form a commando unit of malware for the purpose of attacking a computer. This is probably the reason why many are not aware of the possibility that their Web cam could very well become another man’s eye. Spy software such as those which exploit Web cams are easily crushed by antivirus and anti-spyware software. Hence, malicious program authors don’t devote that much time and attention in getting themselves a third eye.

Isolating the Problem

For those who are not comfortable in entrusting their privacy to security suites, the easiest way of protecting your PCs from external threats is by disconnecting it from the outside world. An isolated PC is as safe and secure as a house built on top of the moon. However, this drastic approach to PC security is impractical and unproductive. Unless you intend your computer to be just a mere household furniture for display, it wouldn’t be wise to divorce it from the rest of the world.

Everybody should know by now that PCs are portals to every perceivable nook around the globe, and maybe even beyond. To shut it out by castrating the LAN port or wireless Internet antenna would be a sin that is too unforgivable in an era where information is vital and interdependence is necessary for survival. The malware problem that everybody’s experiencing is not that insurmountable. In fact, the odds are against those who are trying to barge through the gates that we’ve set up against them. Just make sure that you have a registry cleaner and antivirus installed in your system. These sentinels are usually enough to thwart any attack that could compromise your PCs security and privacy.

Whoa! Either that keyboard doubles as an ashtray or the latest version of Typing Tutor is so difficult that it practically tests the warranty of your PC’s primary input device.

PC care is not only restricted to defragging your hard drive or streamlining the start up process. First and foremost, computer maintenance involves cleaning and maintaining the hardware. You can’t buy software for this task. You have to personally see to it that your PC’s monitor, keyboard, printer, and other components are free from dirt and dust.

Having the latest registry cleaner and security suite won’t really matter if your unit is threatened physically by abuse or misuse. All the antivirus or anti-spyware software in the world won’t save your PC from liquid spills or heavy dust accumulation. You can’t take on a laissez faire approach when it comes to component maintenance. Don’t downplay the human factor or role in PC care. Not everything is virtual or electronic, you know.

We know what’s best for you.

It would seem that this is Microsoft’s justification for the unauthorized updates that it has conducted on its latest and previous operating systems. Windows XP and Vista users have recently complained that Windows update has modified some of their system files without warning them about it.

Windows Update (WU) is a feature in XP and Vista which automatically downloads and installs patches and updates to the operating systems. Users are given the option to either let WU get the files automatically or prompt them before downloading the necessary files. While many have taken the laissez faire approach, a good number still wants to be warned whenever patches would be installed in their systems.

So the next time you see your PC’s DSL and hard drive lamps blink like crazy, don’t sound the alarm and raise your antivirus and anti-spyware security level to “high.” Chances are, it’s just Bill Gates trying to rearrange your operating system’s files. If you’re using OS X though, then you might want to immediately cut the yellow cable.

What does it take to create your very own computer virus?

Back in the 80s when the PC was just starting to make its way into ordinary people’s homes, computer viruses were often mistaken as also the ones that make us sneeze or induce us to cough. Some were not even aware of its existence. If a program crashes due to a virus infection, many just thought that the software expired or just naturally got corrupted. Needless to say, antivirus programs were also not fashionable during the time when Magic Johnson and Larry Bird were the reigning kings of the NBA.

Coke-Bottle Glasses a Prerequisite

Programmers or software authors were thought to be computer science majors or math geeks who have too much grudge on the world. Everything about the computer back then was esoteric. Many harbored the belief that one has to have an IQ of 500 in order to make one simple program. You might think that such a thought is an exaggeration, but in a way, they were partly right.

The programming language that software authors preferred at that time was the Assembly Language. Purists explain that it’s the language that computers speak since it mainly deals with numbers, the only characters that PCs understand. Only seasoned programmers could create applications using that language. This difficulty warded off many aspiring virus authors. While there are a significant number of people who wants to know what it’s like to wreak havoc to other people’s systems, only a few have the persistence and the talent to pursue such a pernicious goal.

Breeding Snakes

In a bid to spur interest in computer programming, software makers released programming languages that are more user-friendly. Since then, the number of persons who knows how to create applications has increased astronomically. While many of them are not that knowledgeable enough to create spyware, viruses, and other malicious applications, the few who does are enough to cause global headaches.

Most of the novices who attempt to create malicious applications end up seeing their creations crushed by antivirus and anti-spyware applications. Virus and spyware authors have to create a more cunning design in order to camouflage their malware from PC sentinels.

One Stop Shop

At present, one does not need to read programming books as thick as the white pages in order to create something that could make your hard drive spin like crazy. A programming kit is currently circulating around the Web that allows a person to exploit holes and weaknesses in Windows, WinZip, QuickTime, and Web pages. The destructive kit could easily be used by ordinary persons. Of course, this tool is not available on e-Bay or on any online store. It’s sold in cyberspace’s black market, with the price tag pegged at $400. The application works by identifying holes or weaknesses in Web sites. It then exploits gaps by allowing the user to control or take over the vulnerable pages. He could then modify the site so that it may control the PCs that log on or visit the page.

It would seem that every Web site could be a potential booby trap. Don’t allow your system to fall victim, or worse, be a host to malicious programs. Invest on an antivirus, registry cleaner, and other system tools. As the saying goes, a megabyte of prevention is better than a gigabyte of cure

If you think that virus authors are quickly discouraged by knock out blows from antivirus programs, think again.

IBM’s Internet Security Systems has recently revealed that an old foe of anti-malware applications is slowly making its way back to center stage again. The worm, which debuted in January 2003, is known as Spammer. It damaged countless systems during that year, making it one of the most dreaded and unwanted programs in recent history.

Resurrected?

Many thought that the worm had already been completely wiped out of every PC unit after security suites focused on its eradication during the months and years after its discovery. In fact, many have already forgotten about it during the past two years. However, IBM’s revelation had brought back its ghost, along with the reluctant prediction that the worm may come back with a vengeance.

What’s the Worry?

Many are downplaying the possible dangers that Spammer could bring to present computer systems. For one thing, security suites have already dealt with it successfully in the past. Hence, they shouldn’t encounter any difficulty in doing a repeat of their bout with the worm a few years ago.

The problem though, is that security software are having a tough time keeping at pace with the release of new viruses or the modified versions of old unwanted programs. It’s not as if Symantec or McAfee will be able to automatically detect the release of every worm or virus that is born in cyberspace. That’s almost next to impossible. Most of the time, they only come to know about the unwanted program after it has already infected a number of systems. There are thousands of hackers and malware authors around the globe. The number is simply and obviously overwhelming.

Keeping the Program Manageable

It would be very easy for antivirus applications to just retain old virus definitions in order to stem future attacks from old worms. However, this is quite impractical. Without retiring old virus codes, the size of anti spyware or antivirus programs could easily swell to exponential proportions. I’m sure you wouldn’t want your antivirus to be as large as Windows Vista, would you?

This practice of trimming down antivirus programs to manageable levels by retiring old definitions creates gaps on the security of a PC unit. Hence, all that a defeated virus author has to do in order to make a comeback is to put his creation in hibernation for a few years, then resurrect it after a new version of the antivirus that eliminated the worm comes out. This is a very easy task for the malware maker, especially since he need not even have to make any modification anymore.

New Approach

Security suites and system utilities, such as registry cleaners, should come up with a new plan on how to prevent the resurrection of old worms and viruses without having to resurrect its old warriors. There must be some way by which an antivirus or anti malware software could efficiently protect a unit from all known forms of unwanted software without being bloated by definitions and other algorithms.

The fight against malware has just gotten more sophisticated.

Although these schemes are not new, incidents regarding spyware and virus attacks using fake Web sites or security alerts are alarmingly increasing. Many users are falling for it since they look authentic. Indeed, even the most experienced and cautious PC user or surfer won’t be able to recognize that the page or file is a fake unless they take a closer second look.

Mirroring

It’s ironic that the infected Web site or security alert replicates that of antivirus and anti-malware’s. This is the reason why many have fallen prey to this modus operandi. Users usually don’t doubt messages regarding security updates. Many immediately download the suggested files or patches without even verifying if the source is genuine. To make matters worse, security suites will sometimes let the download pass without checking its authenticity since the process was initiated or had the approval of the user.

Be Proactive

Although this may seem too tedious, the best way to ensure if the updates or security alert that you have received is genuine is by looking at the URL of the page that you’re being led to after clicking the link presented in the notice. If the address seems unfamiliar or doesn’t direct you to the manufacturer’s Web site, chances are is that the notice is spurious and that you’re being led to an infected page. Always check the URL if it seems genuine. It may be a very simple way of checking file or page authenticity, but it’s definitely effective.

Simply Effective

Don’t think that the techniques which malware authors use to enable their virus or malicious file to get into your system are that sophisticated. Sometimes, if not most of the time, the methods that they use are either crude or pre-historic. As people expect attacks to be complicated and well planned, they leave everything to their antivirus and anti-spyware software. This hands-off approach is dangerous. Anti-malware software often rely on the user for inputs and other decision-making tasks. Consequently, when the user allows the downloading of a purported update which is actually a malicious file, the security program would treat such file or page as harmless. Of course, if such file would perform processes that clearly intend to wreak havoc in the system, your security tool would definitely put a stop to it.

Basic Necessity

No computer in any part of the globe could survive without antivirus software or registry cleaners. Sure, you may contend that standalone PCs or those which have no Internet connection or disk drives are some of the exceptions. But they are precisely just that – exceptions. One could hardly define a computer without mentioning that it has or should have the ability to connect to the Internet. It’s not too presumptuous or erroneous to say that the essence of a computer is to be able to process data and share the same to other people regardless of where they may be. Indeed, what’s the use of your PC if it can’t take you around the world.

Would an entry about Apple’s latest mobile phone be out of place in this blog?

Everybody knows that most, if not all, of my ranting on this page are about computers. Even the cartoons that are occasionally posted here deal with the everyday goofs and frustrations that one might have had or is continuously having with his PC. So why feature something that has a different feather?

Not Just the Birds

Every electronic gadget wants to mirror the functions of a PC. As almost every human activity is assisted or dictated by Information Technology, it’s only natural for consumers to choose devices that would save them from being tied to their computer. Thus, mobile phones of today are not only made for placing and receiving calls. In fact, those two functions seem to be last things that cellular phone makers have in mind whenever they are revising or coming up with new designs.

An excellent example would be the iPhone. The only thing that makes it primarily a mobile phone instead of a miniature PC is its name. Nomenclature aside, one might need a few guesses before he realizes that it’s a cell phone. While Apple is billing it as such, 85% of its manual deals with its computer-like features. Nothing much has been documented about its call functions.

Consumer Demand

The evolution of the mobile phone to a mini PC is the result of the growing demand to be always connected to the Internet. While many saw laptops as the solution or answer for such desire, its bulky architecture has turned off a sizeable number of users who wants their e-mails to be accessible at just a touch of a button. You can’t do that even with an 11-inch notebook. The boot up process just takes too much time. On the other hand, handheld devices, such as smart phones and PDAs, can conveniently connect the user to the Internet in just a few seconds without impeding mobility.

It’s Still What It Is

Despite the fact that many of the mobile phones in the market today pack PC-like functions, its limitations as a miniature computer makes its bid to be an alternative computing device quite ambitious. iPhone’s graphics may be stunning, but it certainly cannot process heavy multimedia tasks that requires extensive video power. Its size also prevents it from using today’s latest processors which are needed in various computing activities. If you’ll analyze it closely, what you actually have is a mobile phone-cum-Web browser. It’s quite erroneous to claim that it’s a computer in the strictest sense of the word.

Foreboding

While I may not agree with the N95’s slogan: “It’s what computers have become,” I do agree that the mobile phones of today will shape the ultimate form of the PC in the next 10 years. Time will come when you’ll be buying anti-spyware programs or registry cleaners not just for your desktop, but for your mobile phone as well. It’s what computers will become.

Many anti spyware and antivirus programs promise ease of use and impeccable efficiency. Not surprisingly, many live up to that guarantee. Indeed, most security programs take care of everything, leaving the user virtually useless in the process.

This doesn’t mean that you should just always sit back and leave everything to the application. There are times when anti malware programs overreacts and eliminates files which are actually harmless, or worse, critical or important to some of your tasks.

Take, for instance, the way some antivirus treat IRC programs. McAfee’s Virus Scan has mistakenly identified mIRC as a potentially harmful program. While IRC software could introduce harmful programs to your system, it’s not a virus-hoarding application per se. As with any other programs, such as e-mail clients, it may serve as a portal for malware if used carelessly.

Before concurring with the recommendations made by your antivirus or anti spyware programs, make sure that you’ve thoroughly reviewed the report, especially if the remedy that is being suggested involves deleting the suspected files.

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