How does one get a virus?


Recommended Posts

Okay, sounds like a stupid question, but I'm confused. In the last month or so I've gotten, blaster, kuang, sobig, and something else. I've installed a virus scanner (finally) and everything is off. BUT, I've taken off sobig 3 times in the last 3 days!!! Today, I've done it once again.

The thing is, I'm not opening emails that have attachments unless they are from my fiance or family (and they've checked their computers, they don't have any viruses). I'm not downloading anything. I'm not opening my junk emails at all!

I was under the impression those were the only ways to really get a virus! Obviously, I MUST be wrong. Are there other ways? Can a website download something to your computer with you knowing? I always assumed that if a website was downloading something, a box would pop up asking if you wanted to install!

Should I have more protection other than a virus scanner? Do I need a firewall? Or would that not help at all?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, it can and does, albeit not as common because your IP always changes.

Many ways to get a virus:

1) like the Blaster virus: Just being online unprotected

2) Via email (most common for now)

3) Via downloads (like some warez and others from KaZaa and the web)

4) From a website

5) From "ad-ware"

6) From any program you install (take with salt--I only mean that any software you install has the capacity of delivering a virus, that's all)

And more.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A software/hardware firewall will help alot, someone can send you a back door trojan horse via one of the open internet ports on your PC that may contain 'sobig' or some other virus without your knowledge :s ....

It also may lie dormant until a specific date and wreck havoc on your PC :/, which is why a firewall and antivirus software work well together to stop viruses and people trying to overtake your PC and leaving something that may ruin your PC :( ....

Some firewalls I'd recommend are Norton Internet Security/Personal Firewall, ZoneAlarm, Outpost, BlackIce etc .... Google can help you find more :) ....

Radish?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Basically its being aware of things ... For example not opening any email attachments unless you are absolutely positive that it is safe to do so. Just because you might get it it from a known person doesn't make it safe as they could be unwittingly distributing the virus themselves :(

A few viruses are now spread via p2p with fake files etc, if you want to use such things be careful of what you ummm download.

Another thing as has been mentioned is using a Firewall (a must have on broadband) I personally use Kerio but any will do the job.

Final one is a Virus Checker, again there are plenty around, just choose one which suits your pocket (They range from Free to Horrendously expensive) I personally use Norton 2003

*off topic*

Radish, is that your actual picture in your avatar/signature :geek: :)

*off topic*

Link to comment
Share on other sites

*off topic*

Radish, is that your actual picture in your avatar/signature :geek: :)

*off topic*

:laugh: :shifty: What do you think? ....

Radish?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, I put a firewall on! It's called Tiny Personal Firewal I think. Seems to work so far! lol No viruses in like 5 hours! That seems to be a record for me the last week! lol

Link to comment
Share on other sites

speaking of firewall, if you're under a high-speed connection, a Firewall software is a must.

no wonder why you are getting all the viruses, since some idiots might be installing them by hacking to

your computer..get a nice and easy to use Firewall

dude WTF are you talking about?

if you are clueless about security, make sure you don't talk about stuff you have no idea about.

speed of internet connection have absolutly no relavance to wether or not one needs a firewall.

if somebody "hacked" into that guy's computer, why the hell would "hacker" install a virus on it? he already has access to that puter. if he wanted to destroy data on it he would've done so already.

keep your system up to date on security and stop using insecure pos email client like outlook/outlook express.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I want to add one thing. Using Outlook Express enhances your ability to get viruses. Just clicking on the email can infect you, you don't necessarily have to run the attachment.

Best way to protect yourself while using OE is to disable attachments by checking "do not allow attachments to be saved or opened ....." in tools, options, security; and to disable the preview plane by going to view, layout and unchecking "show preview pane".

This way you can safely click once on an email to delete it without the email actually being opened. If you now the attachments clean just uncheck the attachment box and download the attachment, then check the box again.

Alternativley you can move to a different email program completely like thunderbird, pegasusmail, or eudora.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  dude WTF are you talking about?

if you are clueless about security, make sure you don't talk about stuff you have no idea about.

Calm down man, before you burst an artery...over firewalls and viruses. :D

Not all hackers want access to YOUR files. They could care less no matter how impressive your porn collection is (you've mentioned this yourself in the past), or that your last english essay got a B+.

They may, instead, decide to install trojans on your computer, for the next time they want to launch a DDOS attack against some site like Microsoft.com, or Neowin.net. So make sure you know what you're talking about, before you try and discredit someone else. :p

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes thats right, 'hackers' (that still makes me laugh, they are kids not worthy of the title) dont give a flying f*ck about your personal files, they never have and never will.

All they want are your resources, maybe HDD space and bandwidth for a ftp site, a half life server, and most likely, zombies for distributed denial of service networks. For the thread starter, that basically means they install a little bit of software on your pc (you wont notice it without security apps) which listens for a command from the 'hackers'. When they want to take a person or website (etc) offline they send a command to all machines with this bit of software. These machines all start to send data to the target. The type of data varies but simply they send so much crap traffic that no one else can get to the target. So the service is denied.

I suspect the chap who said the speed of your internet connection defines the need for a personal firewall is a little confused, but on the right track. They actually ment the persistancy of the internet connection. Is it a 56k dialup that is made for 5 minutes to check email, then dropped, or is it an 'always on' ADSL network. The former tends to involve DHCP leases, the later static IPs (or very long leases). I'm waffling, you get the idea.

Anyway, to the thread starter, the advice re:viruses is correct, and its worth noting that hackers wont specifically target you. They trawel the internet using automated programs looking for targets of oppertunity.

Oh one more thing, a Personal Firewall needs careful configuration. You can't simply install it and feel secure. Blaster is a perfect example of why personal firewalls DONT work 90% of the time (Virtually everyone who suffered reboots or infections had a PF, but hadn't configured it correctly). Its worth doing some research, but what ever you do, dont read grc.com, the guy is an idiot.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

speaking of firewall, if you're under a high-speed connection, a Firewall software is a must.

no wonder why you are getting all the viruses, since some idiots might be installing them by hacking to

your computer..get a nice and easy to use Firewall

dude WTF are you talking about?

if you are clueless about security, make sure you don't talk about stuff you have no idea about.

speed of internet connection have absolutly no relavance to wether or not one needs a firewall.

if somebody "hacked" into that guy's computer, why the hell would "hacker" install a virus on it? he already has access to that puter. if he wanted to destroy data on it he would've done so already.

keep your system up to date on security and stop using insecure pos email client like outlook/outlook express.

all he meant to say is that if he has a high speed connection, he has a static ip, which is a lot more common to be hacked than a dial up connection where the ip always changes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

all he meant to say is that if he has a high speed connection, he has a static ip, which is a lot more common to be hacked than a dial up connection where the ip always changes.

Most HSI providers don?t offer Static IP's to home users; they usually offer DHCP (which if connected to a hardware firewall, doesn?t get renewed that often, unless they set a very low lease time). Most of the time to get a static IP from a High Speed ISP you have to get a business connection from them, and that can cost anywhere from $100.00 a month, to $500 a month.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Who knew I'd get so many replies to this!

Anyway, for the first time in a few days, I now have no viruses! Which, trust me, after this last week is a miracle!

I really just hope it stays like this. I hate getting those stupid things!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.