Virus Information

This page is designed to inform you, the student, about the dangers of viruses and instruct you on how to prevent viruses and clean them up if you happen to get one.

What is a computer virus?

A simple definition of a computer virus is that a computer virus to a computer is the same as a virus to a human that would make him\her sick. Computer viruses are basically designed to copy itself to a computer and wreak havoc on a system causing to run really slow or not even be able to operate at all.

How do you get a computer virus?

There are many ways a person can get a virus. They include:

A Floppy Disk
Opening an infected email attachment
Pirated software (Illegal software)
Downloaded files from Kazaa, iMesh, etc

What types of computer viruses are there?

There are many types of viruses that can infect your computer. They include:

Boot Sector Viruses
Macro Viruses
Program Viruses
Hoaxes
Worms
Trojans

How do I protect my computer?

Here are some suggestions for protecting your computer:

Use a good virus scan program (NAU provides a excellent free one at ITS Downloads)
Update your virus information files frequently
Never open an email attachment unless you scan it first
Make sure there is a password for your computer and it is not sharing across the network without one
Update Windows frequently

Keep Windows Updated!

This cannot be stressed enough. If your computer is running Windows Xp or Windows 2000, make sure to keep windows updated. You can do this at Windows Update. Run all critical updates. This process might require going there several times and rebooting several times before the process is complete.

If you see this logo in the bottom right of your screen ALWAYS click on it and install the updates it is recommending. This will ensure that your computer stays up to date and safe from viruses that will infect your computer when the updates have not been properly installed.

Here is the logo. Just double-click to begin the process:

Here is an example of the screen you will see when you go to windowsupdate.microscoft.com. Remember to install the Critical Updates:

What should I do if I suspect a virus?

Unplug the network cable your computer and call the Academic Computing Help Desk at 928-523-9294

What could happen to me if I get a virus?

You could have your computer turned off from the internet on campus and not turned on till you call in a schedule someone to come out and clean it for you. This could lead to a minimum 3-4 day turn around before you are back up and on the web. It could possibly end up being weeks. So keep your computer clean!

Are there resources for me about viruses?

Here are a few links:

We have compiled detailed information on Computer Viruses and Macro Viruses. You will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed.