Why bother keeping your workstation clean?

em just want to install a little program on your computer to log every keystroke you type in and find out more about you, your family, friends, enemies, etc. It’s their life to peep on others.

Trojans: Trojans are also refered to as backdoors programs. They allow the operator (whoever wrote or manages the software Trojan) to access your computer remotely and use it however they want. They might set up shop to spam people in France, Maine, and Hong Kong… or launch a web attack on a bank they are angry at. They typically don’t want you to find out about their software, so they try to keep a low profile and not pop up windows on your computer. But often, malware programs are not very stable, cause conflicts on your computer, and cause it too crash or behave strangely.


Viruses: Now-a-days, if a piece of malware is destructive to the data on your hard drive, it is referred to as a virus. If you don’t have up to date, high quality anti-virus software on your computer, you are most likely infected and have problems. I use and recommend Trend Micro products to all my clients because it works.


Worms: Worms really refer to how a piece of malware spreads itself… typically if a piece of mailware automatically delivers itself from one computer to another via email or file shares, it is refered to as a worm.

There are several things you can do to ensure you are not an easy target for malware.

1. Keep your operating system up to date by regularly running updates (Microsoft Windows Update is available as a drop down option under Tools in Internet Explorer).

2. If you must download free stuff from the Internet, you should download it to your home computer and read all 17 pages of fine print in the End User License Agreement (EULA) or realize that it is probably not as free (or fun, or cute, or happy) as it looks and avoid it altogether.

3. Scan your computer regularly using your antivirus software. Trend Micro has a free online scan tool which will clean up Viruses, Trojans, Adware, and Spyware. You can find it at http://housecall.trendmicro.com

4. Install good anti-malware software like Trend Micro’s (AntiSpyware) or Webroot’s (Spysweeper), especially if you are going to forage around in pirate territory on the Internet. Malicious websites will drop all sorts of junk on your computer if you go out there unprotected.

The best advice I can offer you, as much as I regret to say it, is to suspect everything you come across on the Internet – every webpage, every photograph, every pop up window, and especially every download - and ask yourself: “Is this coming from a source that I can really rely on that is not out to take advantage of me?”

When pop ups present themselves on my screen, I always use my mouse on the “X” in the upper right corner to close them. I’ve always heard this is the safer way than clicking on their “No Thanks” buttons. You can also use the “Alt F4” keys to close whatever window is open on top. This can be helpful if you get 75 advertisers opening windows in Internet Explorer.

Jon Richardson is the founder of Richardson Technology, a network consulting firm providing schools and businesses in the San Francisco Bay Area with computer technology leadership and consulting services. He can be reached at http://www.richardsontech.net

The Organizational Wizards - www.RescueMyOffice.com (Nancy Richardson)