Computer Viruses

A computer virus is hidden code within a program that may damage or destroy the infected files. Like living viruses, computer viruses require a host (such as a program file), and they’re designed to make copies of themselves. Typically, virus infections spread when somebody inserts a disk containing an infected program into a computer and then starts the infected program. You might also get a virus by downloading an infected program from the Internet. Most viruses are called file infectors because they attach themselves to a program file. When the program is executed, the virus spread to other programs on the user hard disk. Should you a copy a file on your computer to a disk and give it to someone, the infection spreads even further. Most computer viruses are spread by e-mail attachments. When you open an e-mail you may see a dialog box asking whether you want to open an attachment. Don’t open it unless you’re sure the attachment is safe. Consider the following scenario. A professor with large lecture section of 100 students receives an e-mail from a former student with an attachment named “Spring Break” that apparently contains a picture of the student’s spring break and so opens it. The attachment appears to do nothing, and the professor goes about his or her business. The attachment, however, is doing something. It is sending a copy of itself or everyone in the professor’s email address box-including each of the 100 students in the class. Now the attachment is propagating to the e-mail address lists of each of the students. The attachment is received by parents, friends, other professors, and fellow students. Many open the attachment, and the process accelerates very rapidly. Executable file attachments pose the most serious risk.

Privacy at Home

Do you own a cell phone? Are you aware that all new cell phones must have GPS awareness? This means that your phone can be located, usually within 30 feet, by law enforcement and emergency services personnel. Some services provide the exact location of a cell phone. This can come in handy when an employer uses it to track an employee using a company cell phone. Some software is so powerful that it will send a notification to the home unit whenever the cell phone leaves a designated geographic area. In theory, someone could map you to certain classroom and be notified when you and your cell phone left the room. This location-aware tracking software is already in use by the criminal justice system to keep track of offenders who are sentenced to home detention. The subject is fitted with an ankle or set wrist bracelet and then the software is set to trigger an alarm if the bracelet strays from the designated area. These bracelets also are being used to keep track of patients.