Nerds Remove Viruses, Adware, Spyware and pop-ups
You have probably heard of viruses, pop-ups, adware and spyware and you might even be visiting this website because you suspect you have one (or all) of them. But what exactly are they, and how do they affect your computer? This page explains exactly what they are, and how they’re hazardous to your computer.
Virus and other electronic infections
A computer virus is a small software program that automatically spreads from one computer to another by adding itself to existing files and interfering with how they work. Viruses usually operate without the knowledge or desire of the computer user and can be very hazardous to your computers health (and harmful to your mental health!). They can corrupt or delete important data, use an email program or storage device to spread, crash or freeze programs, and just generally drive you mad!
There are literally hundreds of thousands of viruses which have been made and no two act the same way. Some viruses are designed to destroy files, whilst others are created simply to spread. Either way, these viruses inevitably end up damaging your computers operating system or software applications. However, a virus will never damage the hardware of your computer, and claims to this effect are hoaxes.
A Trojan Horse is a deliberately malicious program which has to be introduced to your computer (without you knowing it). Based on the famous battle tactic from Greek mythology, Trojan Horses claim to be one thing (possibly a screensaver you have downloaded), but instead do damage to your computer. Unlike computer viruses, Trojan horses do not replicate themselves but are often more destructive. One of the most dangerous types of a Trojan Horse is a program that claims to rid your computer of viruses, when in fact it is actually introducing new ones!
A Worm is a program that has the ability to copy itself from machine to machine without needing to attach itself to an existing program (unlike a virus). Worms normally move around and infect machines through computer networks, and use up precious computer time and network bandwidth when they replicate.
Most worms are designed only to be spread around, and do not attempt to alter the systems that they pass through. However there are worms designed with what we call “payloads”, which are codes designed to do more than just spread the worm. They can delete or encrypt files and send documents via email for example.
Ad-ware
Ad-ware or Advertising Supported Software is software that is installed on your computer to show you advertisements – it is also a system by which advertisers collect information about your web surfing habits to better market their products. Adware programs are included in certain downloads that you are aware of, and some that you are not. Not all adware is malicious in intent. Some Adware can be deliberately installed by users who wish to use a service for free as long as they are willing to view the adverts.
Malicious adware on the other hand can add you to spam lists, gather personal information, slow down your PC and Internet connection, increase the instability of your system, and just generally annoy you.
Spy-ware
Spyware differs from adware in that it wants more than favourite websites or music preferences...it wants your (very) personal information! Clever spyware programs can be contained in almost anything you click on while surfing the Internet. Whilst you may think that you do not keep any of your personal information on your computer, you're wrong. Nearly everything you do on the Internet is recorded onto your hard drive in a number of places including temporary Internet files, cookie files, browser favourites, cache files etc etc the list goes on! Spyware can see it all.
It can install itself into your computers memory and monitor everything you type. This of course can be devastating if it captures you entering your Internet banking site or typing in your credit card details.
Once collected, this information is simply sent to the creator who can use it for a variety of crooked purposes. In the computer infection sweepstakes, spyware is a clear winner as the worst.
Preventative maintenance is always the best solution to these risks and it is therefore important to have a reputable ant-virus program and ad-ware removal program installed. Dial a Nerd recommends NOD32 (www.eset.com) as an anti-virus program and spybot (www.spybot.com) for ad/spy-ware removals. All programs like this need to be updated weekly and run monthly. In addition you should never click on pop-up windows promising prizes or rewards, and never follow a link which has been emailed to you from a bank or secure service.
If your computer has spontaneously started crashing, freezing or slowing down then you may be infected.
There are sometimes infections which will slip through or which cannot be removed by conventional means and this is where you need a nerd. Alternatively you may have better things to do than wrestling with an infection a 12 year old hacker made to impress his friends. At times like these you need to Dial a Nerd… because nerds know computers!