Antivirus: Is It Still the Hero that It Once Was?
Shaswat Shrestha
Period 3
January 31, 2013
Antivirus: Still the hero that it once was? I. Introduction
In today’s world almost every home in the world has at least one computer. Computers have become a very beneficial tool; however there are many malicious programs that can harm computers, for example viruses, Trojans, and worms. We use different tools to protect computers such as antivirus software. Even with antivirus software viruses find a way to get in computer. The primarily reason is because many viruses are becoming more sophisticated to the point where the viruses attacking the antivirus software itself. (Latamore 24) Or the problem could be the type of method that is used by the antivirus and is affecting its performance. Because viruses and other harmful program are evolving to the point where antiviruses cannot stop them, people need to learn how to prevent viruses form entering their computer and how to have a clean computer. II. There are different types of viruses that can attack computers; every type of virus has its own specialty. a. A virus is a simple program that spreads by infecting files in areas of a computer or a router’s hard drive and then making copies of itself. Some viruses will do no damage but just spread form computer to computer and there are others that will destroy files. Viruses spread primarily through email messages and when people share portable media device, for example USB drives and floppy disks. (Virus 1) b. A worm is a type of virus that take up valuable memory that can cause a computer to stop responding and allow attackers to access the computer remotely.(Virus 4) for a worm to enter a computer there needs to be a system weakness for it to replicate, often spreading from computer to computer .(Worms) i. One of the most famous worms was made by a man name Robert Morris, it caused major havoc on the internet. He used three separate attacks, one was rsh, and this is a spawn process on a
Period 3
January 31, 2013
Antivirus: Still the hero that it once was? I. Introduction
In today’s world almost every home in the world has at least one computer. Computers have become a very beneficial tool; however there are many malicious programs that can harm computers, for example viruses, Trojans, and worms. We use different tools to protect computers such as antivirus software. Even with antivirus software viruses find a way to get in computer. The primarily reason is because many viruses are becoming more sophisticated to the point where the viruses attacking the antivirus software itself. (Latamore 24) Or the problem could be the type of method that is used by the antivirus and is affecting its performance. Because viruses and other harmful program are evolving to the point where antiviruses cannot stop them, people need to learn how to prevent viruses form entering their computer and how to have a clean computer. II. There are different types of viruses that can attack computers; every type of virus has its own specialty. a. A virus is a simple program that spreads by infecting files in areas of a computer or a router’s hard drive and then making copies of itself. Some viruses will do no damage but just spread form computer to computer and there are others that will destroy files. Viruses spread primarily through email messages and when people share portable media device, for example USB drives and floppy disks. (Virus 1) b. A worm is a type of virus that take up valuable memory that can cause a computer to stop responding and allow attackers to access the computer remotely.(Virus 4) for a worm to enter a computer there needs to be a system weakness for it to replicate, often spreading from computer to computer .(Worms) i. One of the most famous worms was made by a man name Robert Morris, it caused major havoc on the internet. He used three separate attacks, one was rsh, and this is a spawn process on a