Behind the computer virus . . .
insider secrets revealed
Wondering how to effectively protect
your systems
against a computer virus? Need to demystify the computer virus with some
objective, non-product-specific tips and hints?
Computer Virus – any kind of malicious software code
that can be delivered through a variety of mechanisms including
conventional software media, Internet downloads, e-mail file
attachments, file macros, scripting, ActiveX or Java applets, and
instant-messaging software.
Where to start with a computer virus?
Effective computer virus protection begins by inventorying the
brand and version of computer virus protection software running on your company’s
desktop PCs, notebooks and servers.
After all, you can correct
deficiencies, and work toward preventing the computer virus, only when you
pinpoint its existence.
Site survey of your computer virus protection software:
The first step to defeating computer viruses
A small business doesn’t need to invest in expensive
asset management systems for compiling a software inventory. A visit to
each PC and a simple Microsoft Excel workbook will suffice. If you as
yet don’t have a worksheet for tracking some aspect of your PC asset
inventory, such as the software that blocks a computer virus, now’s a great time to create one.
Suggested column headings for tackling a computer virus protection
software inventory:
Follow-up question on protecting against the common computer
virus
-
Is
protection for a computer virus installed on all desktop PCs, notebooks and
servers?
-
Are all systems standardized on the same computer virus
protection platform and version?
-
Are configuration settings documented and standardized
for your software that blocks the computer virus?
-
Are users locked out from modifying configuration
settings on the computer virus utility software?
-
Do you have a current inventory of the computer virus
protection software programs installed on your systems?
-
How well organized are your software license documents
that prove your company is licensed to run the computer virus
protection software in use? Are there any major gaps?
-
Have you priced out both retail and site license
purchases of computer virus software? Have you factored in the costs of
software update subscriptions?
-
If you have any site license or software update
subscription agreements, when are the expiration dates? Have you
investigated and budgeted for renewal costs to continue protecting
against the computer virus?
-
Did any of the computer virus
protection software licenses on your PCs come bundled with
the PC purchases? Have you checked the expiration dates of the
licenses carefully?
Everyday strategies for tackling the computer virus
Courtesy of the dozens of new e-mail and Web-transported
computer
viruses discovered each month, those days of complacency with the computer
virus
defense approaches are long gone. As recently as 1998, I still was
recommending that small businesses update computer virus protection software once every
four to six weeks.
In this age of cyberterrorism; however, you really
cannot be well-protected against the newest computer viruses unless you update
every desktop PC, notebook and server at least once a week. During a
computer
virus outbreak in your company, or during widely publicized national or
international virus outbreaks, consider checking for computer virus
protection software
updates and reinforcing your protection for computer viruses daily. When
I say updates to your protection for computer viruses, I’m talking about
updating your antivirus software’s signature, definition or pattern
files. Most computer virus protection software vendors, selling virus protection for
computers, use a modular update/upgrade architecture, in which updates can
be rolled out daily or weekly, while major version upgrades generally come
out every 6 to 18 months. A more substantive part of
protecting against computer viruses, known as the scanning engine or core
product code, will get minor version upgrades several times a year. But
these are more like decimal releases, as opposed to major version
upgrades, and generally are not sold as stand-alone upgrade products. Unlike a conventional piece of shrink-wrapped software,
the computer virus protection utility programs have very short shelf lives;
they're generally obsolete before you even install it. After all,
new computer viruses are discovered daily.
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Software Programs for Coping with Computer Viruses
You can purchase a stand-alone retail copy of antivirus
software, and a related update subscription, for each of your company’s
systems -- that need protection against computer viruses. Some
of the more popular antivirus software programs for small businesses
include these product lines:
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