Blue Sky Tech - Computer Care & Client Support

Viruses & Spyware

Viruses, spyware, and pop-ups are parasitic programs that interfere with your ability to use a computer the way you want. We all need to know what they are and how to keep them out of our systems.

A virus enters your computer and spreads to others, damaging data, software and (rarely) hardware. Three of the most common ways to get them are:

through infected email messages or attachments
by going into infected websites
by having one sent to your IP address (your computer’s identity on the Internet) by an Internet worm, a program that actively seeks out computers to infect.

Certain websites and some “shareware” programs put spyware (also called adware) on your computer. These programs are similar to viruses but do not spread to other computers. They can be used as a sales tool, taking control of your browser program and forcing it to open a commercial website each time you go on the Internet. Spyware can track your activities in many ways and place information about you on your computer. Many websites can read this information and use it to tailor both online and spam advertising to you. Although most spyware is loaded on your system without permission, some is “legitimate” in that you agree to it. Beware of fine print in the End User License of useful program downloads and of accepting cookies as both sometimes imply that you agree to host spyware.

The pop-ups that cover all or parts of your screen when you enter certain websites are generally harmless to your computer but can be frustrating and waste your time as you dispose of them. Some pop-ups are difficult to remove or try to force you to agree to spyware loading in order to get rid of them. Unwanted email messages, or spam, are also irritating time-wasters because they force you to search through them for the messages you actually wanted to receive. If you want to reduce the amount of spam you receive you should:

be cautious about giving out your email address to businesses, charities, news groups, forums, chat rooms, or any where else that might sell it
never respond to spam messages, especially lines like “Click here if you do not want to receive any more messages”, as doing so targets you for much more spam
use anti-spam software to filter out messages you are unlikely to want and delete them before they enter your in box

The best way to deal with parasitic software is to prevent infection. Although most programs can be removed, some are permanent once established. Protect yourself by following these guidelines:

Purchase good virus detection software and keep it up-to-date.
Use a firewall (either hardware or software) to detect and block unsolicited incoming data.
If you use Windows XP, you can increase security greatly by updating it with Service Pack Two – available free from Microsoft.com.
Never open or reply to emails from sources you do not know or which you did not request or expect messages from.
Avoid agreeing to cookie installation whenever possible.

If you suspect you have a virus or spyware, deal with the infection immediately. This is crucial to prevent increasing damage to your computer system and avoid spreading the program to others in the case of viruses or allowing information about yourself to be gathered and used by others in the case of spyware. Once you have cleaned the infection out of your computer, make sure you have appropriate protection in place to keep the problem from happening again.

Parasitic programs can be destructive or difficult to remove. Not all people have the time or knowledge to deal with computer infections. If you come up against a challenging problem you can rely on us for speedy assistance in your office or home. We are expert in removing viruses and spyware and repairing damage they may have done and we will protect you from data loss in the process. If you wish, we will check the effectiveness of your security and install better protections. When you work with Blue Sky Tech, we make sure you know all the options so that you can choose the level of support that suits you best.

Our software repairs and security evaluations are performed by a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer with 15 years of experience in working with every kind of operating system. Call John at (604) 512-7082 or contact us at support@blueskytech.org if you have questions about a possible infection on your computer. Appointments for on site service can be made for almost any time that is convenient for you.