Page 94 - IT_V5.0_Class7
P. 94

Symptoms of a Virus Infection

                  If your computer is infected with a virus, you may notice the following common symptoms:
                      The computer may run very slowly as it loses its processing speed.
                      There will be a change in the system file size.
                      An unusual increase in the number of files.

                      Unusual error message appears on the screen.
                      Computer restarts on its own in between.
                      Disk drives or disks become inaccessible.
                      An application or applications are not working correctly.

                      The computer locks up frequently or stops responding.
                      Dialog boxes and menus sometimes appear to be distorted.
                  How to Protect your Computer from Viruses

                  You can protect your computer from viruses by following the given precautions:
                      Install and use antivirus software.

                      Keep antivirus software updated so that it can scan and remove new viruses.
                      Enable a firewall on your computer so that you can prevent unauthorised access to your system.
                      Only download software from trusted sources.
                      Configure your web browser to block pop-up windows.
                      Scan all the files that you download from the Internet.

                      Don’t allow any untrustworthy person to use your system.
                      Never use an unknown pen drive or CD on your computer.
                         Boost Bits


                   Computer Virus cannot infect files on CD ROMS as they are write-protected and also cannot
                   infect computer hardware such as monitors, keyboard, mouse, printer, etc.


                  Worms

                  A computer worm is a type of malicious program that replicates on its own and can easily spread
                  to other computers through the network. Once a worm infects a system, it can gain unauthorised
                  access and carry out various malicious activities, such as deleting files, stealing data, or causing
                  system instability. For example, the Morris Worm is one of the first documented worms to spread
                  across the Internet, while the Conficker worm, infected millions of computers worldwide in the
                  late 2000s.
                  Some of the best practices that the users can follow to protect their computers from worms are:

                      Keep the computers’ operating system and software always updated.
                      Avoid opening emails that you don’t recognise or expect, as many computer worms spread
                     through email.
                      Avoid opening attachments and clicking on links from unfamiliar sources.
                      Run a firewall and antivirus software at regular intervals.



                    92    Information Technology (V5.0)-VII
   89   90   91   92   93   94   95   96   97   98   99