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What is a Virus?

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Have you ever had the chicken pox? This common childhood illness has another name—the varicella zoster virus. Like all viruses, varicella replicates itself, spreading though the body, and eventually appearing as itchy red blisters all over the body. But the virus doesn’t stop there; it can spread to other people through physical contact and through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It’s not a very fun illness to have.

6DViruses don’t just affect humans; there are viruses that can affect your tech devices. A tech virus is a malicious program file that can also replicate itself and infect other devices through techniques like malicious links and sketchy downloads. But unlike the chicken pox where the virus eventually appears on your skin, a virus could be wreaking havoc on your device and you might not even know it!

Computer and mobile viruses can take many different form factors, but all are usually intended to do harm to your device, steal your personal info or money or both. Some examples of viruses include a Trojan Horse, which masquerades as something neutral or benevolent, but is programmed to infect the hard drive or even crash it. Spyware is a virus that observes your activities like logging into your bank account, collects this data (e.g., password, answer to secret question, username) and sends it to the hacker. And a worm, like other viruses, can corrupt files, steal sensitive information, or modify system settings to make your machine more vulnerable, but it’s different in that it can replicate and send copies of itself to other computers in a network without any human interaction.

There are several clues that could mean that your device has a virus. For example, if you notice your device is suddenly running at a snail’s pace. Another example is programs or apps opening and closing on their own. Or a major sign would be if you receive an email from a friend responding to a mass email you supposedly sent promoting some great deal on a pharmaceutical (that you never actually sent).

Just like there are things you can do to prevent the chicken pox, like wash your hands and stay away from infected people, there are ways to prevent a virus from getting on your device.

  • Be wary. Don’t open attachments from people you don’t know.
  • Think before you click. Don’t click blindly. Check the link URL to make sure you are being directed to a legitimate site.
  • Keep your OS and browser updated. Make sure that you install the latest updates for your operating system and browser as well as any hardware updates that are available for your device as these often close up security holes.
  • Install security software. Use comprehensive security software that protects all your devices, like McAfee LiveSafe™.

Here’s to keeping all your devices nice and healthy!

Robert Siciliano is an Online Safety Expert to Intel Security. He is the author of 99 Things You Wish You Knew Before Your Mobile was Hacked! Disclosures.

Social Networking Security Awareness

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One in five online consumers has been a victim of cybercrime in the past two years. Social networking is a direct link to the problem. While social networks allow you to keep in touch with family and friends, there are issues to be concerned about.

Most concerns revolve around online reputation management, identity theft, or physical security issues. Social networking creates a risk of posting content that will be damaging to yourself, your profile being hacked or your credentials being compromised, or inviting burglars to your home by publicizing your whereabouts.

Facebook faces a security challenge that few companies, or even governments, have ever faced: protecting more than 500 million users of a service that is under constant attack. I’m a huge proponent of “personal responsibility,” and that means that you are ultimately responsible for protecting yourself.

Keep your guard up. Cybercriminals target Facebook frequently. Every time you click on a link, you should be aware of the risks.

Be careful about making personal information public. Sharing your mother’s name, your pet’s name, or your boyfriend’s name, for example, provides criminals with clues to guess your passwords.

Technology can help make social networking more secure. The most common threats to Facebook users are links to spam and malware sent from compromised accounts. Consumers must be sure to have an active security software subscription, and not to let it lapse.

Get a complimentary antivirus software subscription from McAfee. Simply “like” McAfee’s Facebook page, go to “McAfee 4 Free,” and choose your country from the dropdown menu to download a six-month subscription to McAfee’s AntiVirus Plus software. The software protects users’ PCs from online threats, viruses, spyware, other malware, and includes the award-winning SiteAdvisor website rating technology. After the six-month McAfee AntiVirus Plus subscription period, Facebook users may be eligible for special discount subscription pricing.

Robert Siciliano is a McAfee consultant and identity theft expert. See him discuss hackers hacking social media on Fox Boston. (Disclosures)

Virus Hijacks Online Banking Session

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Online banking is great. I highly recommend it. But if you aren’t careful to keep your computer secure, getting hacked can turn your online banking session into a nightmare.

OddJob Trojan is the latest in malware and yet another reason to beef up your computer’s security. OddJob hijacks online banking sessions, keeping users’ accounts open after they think they’ve quit. Hackers can then access the open account to make fraudulent transactions.

When your computer’s security is lax, you’re vulnerable to malware or malicious software. An old, outdated, or unsupported browser, operating system, or antivirus program leaves you open to a virus designed to steal your sensitive personal data.

Are you seeing a theme here? Get new, up-to-date operating systems, browsers, and antivirus programs. If you use a PC, I’d strongly recommend Windows 7 with Internet Explorer 9, Firefox 4, or Chrome. All four can be set to update critical security patches and software updates automatically.

I recommend paying for the latest in antivirus protection. If your software license has expired, pay for a new one. If you use a free antivirus program, upgrade to a paid version. You should do this because free antivirus software relies on manual settings rather than automatic scans and updates.

The OddJob Trojan slipped past antivirus software. Keeping your computer’s security updated with the latest definitions is the best way to add layers of protection.

Robert Siciliano, personal security expert contributor to Just Ask Gemalto, discusses online banking security on CBS Boston. Disclosures

Are You Protected From Zeus?

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In Greek mythology, Zeus is the father of all gods and men. Today in the tech world, Zeus is the father of all computer viruses. The Zeus Trojan virus, which has been around since 2007, has been described as one of the most powerful, sophisticated, and evasive viruses ever. Many antivirus programs have had difficulty defeating it. Experts believe that millions of computers may have the virus without users having noticed.

Zeus behaves like many other viruses in that it may lure the PC user into clicking an infected link in the body of an email, then instantly downloads the virus, which quietly installs itself in the background. Sometimes that link may point to an infected website, which injects the virus in the form of a “drive-by download.” Once Zeus has been installed, it works as spyware, recording keystrokes as the user types.

Last month, the FBI broke up a hacking ring that had used the Zeus virus to steal more than $70 million. More than 100 people were charged or detained, including code writers in the Ukraine and “mule-network operators” throughout the United States, the United Kingdom, and Ukraine. The ring primarily targeted U.S. bank accounts, as well as some in the U.K., the Netherlands, and Mexico.

Zeus is designed to steal bank account login credentials. It has traditionally targeted PCs, but has now been updated to attack cell phones as well, with one version of the malware apparently “intercepting SMS confirmations sent by banks to customers, and defeating the fund transfer authorization codes.”

Protect yourself from this and other viruses by running free operating system updates from Microsoft. Click “Start,” then “All Programs,” and then scroll up the menu and select “Windows Update” or “Microsoft Update.”

You should also install antivirus software. Most PCs come bundled with antivirus software that is free for the first year or six months. Just renew the license whenever it expires. Most antivirus software categorizes spyware as a virus now, but it’s also a good idea to run a spyware removal program daily. You should also install a firewall. Microsoft’s operating system has one built in, but it is not sufficient. Use a third party firewall that comes prepackaged with antivirus software.

And don’t be a fool. Scammers consider you, the target, “simple minded.” They’ll use 1001 different techniques to trick you into divulging your data. They attempt to gain your trust by lying, sending misleading emails, or planting pop-up ads that try to convince you to download software for your own protection. Just hit delete.

Robert Siciliano, personal security expert contributor to Just Ask Gemalto, discusses phishing on NBC Boston. (Disclosures)