Nt1310 Unit 1 Term Paper

1) What are the different ways of contracting a virus from using the Internet? Two very commons ways people contract virus are through emails and downloading music / software. Many people still open email attachments from known and unknown sources. When people catch a virus from a known source is usually when a virus is trying to spread and is using your contact list to spread it. Torrent sites have also been known to spread virus. Many music and video files will have the product, but will also have a virus hiding in the background.

2) What are some of the main ways your computer and data can be affected? Your data can be compromised resulting in a number of issues. Many viruses will pull your information, keystrokes, and files on your computer.

The great step is to keep those programs up to date. Virus change every day in order to get around these programs. If your information is not up to date, then that virus your computer has been fighting just found a new way in. When it comes to links every link and attachments should be questioned. Most virus programs will let you search attachments for imbedded virus. Finally, is to surf smart. Sites like YouTube and Facebook for example will not give you a virus, (as long as you don’t click user’s links) and most people can immediately know if a site is safe or not just by looking at the sites look and reputation.

4) Has your computer been infected in the past...please share! I had a family computer get attacked by a Trojan back in the day. This was back when the Trojan just came into public knowledge and the information for preventing and battling virus weren’t well known. All data was lost on that computer. I now manage an office with 20+ computers. We get a virus about once every month now. Some people just never learn. I currently do not have any antivirus protection on my computer. I just use safe internet practices and I have been personally virus free for 10