| Computers can
get sick just like you and I can. Some people write
software which can be transferred from
one computer to the other and do things which can be harmless,
annoying, or very damaging to your computer. Be very careful when
getting email or attachments from people you don't know.
A virus is a piece of
programming code usually disguised as something else that causes
some unexpected and usually undesirable event. A virus is often
designed so that it is automatically spread to other computer users.
Viruses can be transmitted as attachments to an e-mail note, as
downloads, or be present on a diskette or CD. The source of the
e-mail note, downloaded file, or diskette you've received is often
unaware of the virus. Some viruses wreak their effect as soon as
their code is executed; other viruses lie dormant until
circumstances cause their code to be executed by the computer. Some
viruses are playful in intent and effect ("Happy Birthday, Ludwig!")
and some can be quite harmful, erasing data or causing your hard
disk to require reformatting. |
