Rules to Avoid Viruses
Windows PCs are now a much softer target for viruses, and many organisations have been shut down by some of the recent virus attacks.
Our department is much better protected because we use Unix servers, have access to current virus protection and most users read their email on Unix or using Eudora.
In the last six months or so there have been some very nasty new computer viruses released. Some of these can try up to 16 different methods of spreading themselves, and it is really pretty difficult to bulletproof any Windows PC these days.
Here are some rules (in decreasing order of importance) that will help to protect your PC:
- Always backup your important files - either to a file server or to removable disks.
- Keep your virus protection software up to date. Once a month used to be often enough, but once a week is more advisable now.
- Do not "open" an email attachment if you have any doubt that the sender intended to send it to you. Most new viruses use Microsoft Outlook to send themselves to people you know well, so it is most likely that you will receive a virus from someone that you trust. Viruses do not use Eudora or Netscape Messenger to spread themselves. If you read mail on your PC using Eudora or Netscape Messenger you have to "open" an attachment to infect your PC, but viruses can infect your PC using Microsoft Outlook even if you don't open the attachment.
- Do not install Microsoft Outlook on your PC. Outlook has been the major source of almost all the recent virus outbreaks on Desktop computers - you should de-install it even if you never use it. If you absolutely HAVE to use Outlook you should update it regularly from the Microsoft site (perhaps once per month). Updates for Outlook and other MS-Office products can be found at http://office.microsoft.com/downloads.
- If you use Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 5.5 or 6 you should apply the Service Packs from the Microsoft site. Several major security problems have been found in IE lately. Find these patches from www.microsoft.com/ie.
- IF you "share" your disk with anyone else on the network using Microsoft file sharing, you should always apply a password, and avoid sharing the C: disk. Many new viruses attempt to spread themselves using shared disks. You should be aware that your shared disk can be accessed from any other system in the department unless you have a password applied to it.
- Do not install programs that you do not need, especially "Chat" style or "file sharing" programs like ICQ or Napster. Some of these have been used to infect PCs or capture information about you or your PC and send it to someone else. If you install a program and tire of using it, you should disable or uninstall it.
- Switch off your PC when you finish for the day.
- There are some less important rules too:
If you are installing a new Microsoft program (such as Office or Internet Explorer), ensure that Outlook or Outlook Express is not installed with it. Often you have to choose "Custom Install" to deselect installation of Outlook.
- Anyone running Microsoft's Internet server on a WindowsNT server MUST apply all patches available from Microsoft. All the recent attacks on server computers have been against the Microsoft web server.
- People running Linux (particularly RedHat) should regularly check for updates to the product. You should also apply restrictions to prevent anyone on the Internet getting access to your Linux system, and disable any programs that you do not need.
- Microsoft's Office-XP products will email your document to Microsoft under some circumstances when the software gets into trouble. This can be prevented, but it is a quite technical exercise involving registry editing.
- If you are really paranoid about the security of your PC you should disable Java within Netscape or Internet Explorer browsers. The downside to this is that many web sites will not display correctly or be navigable with Java turned off.
Technical bulletins on Computer security problems can be found on the Auscert website - www.auscert.org.au
