| Your choice of antivirus software is becoming more | | | | scan a computer for small snippets of code that |
| and more important as new computer viruses and | | | | have been found to be associated with known |
| spyware programs proliferate on the Internet. | | | | computer viruses. The software companies update |
| Google, the search engine giant, recently conducted a | | | | their signature database regularly, so that newly |
| study of 4.5 million internet websites and found that | | | | discovered viruses will be covered. Some companies |
| about 10 percent of the sites install malicious | | | | post updates every hour. That is a fairly good |
| software onto a visitor's computer. | | | | indication of how rapidly new viruses are being |
| That doesn't mean that the owners and publishers of | | | | unleashed onto the Internet. Of course it is |
| all these websites have placed this malicious code on | | | | necessary for you to download the update so that |
| their pages. Websites can be hacked by | | | | your software is able to identify all the current |
| knowledgeable cyber criminals. They can then place | | | | computer viruses. It's probably a good idea to do this |
| code of their own choosing onto the page without | | | | once a day. While in the past this involved |
| the owner's knowledge. So almost any site you visit | | | | downloading separate files and installing them, most |
| could be harboring an invasive threat. | | | | programs now feature automatic updates, which |
| People are becoming more careful about opening | | | | upgrade the software whenever you log onto the |
| emails from unknown senders, but just surfing the | | | | Internet. |
| web can expose your computer to invasive | | | | While the signature database works well, there is still |
| software. Web browsers such as Internet Explorer | | | | the possibility you could encounter a new virus that |
| are configured to automatically respond to code on a | | | | hasn't been discovered yet and added to an update. |
| web page so that images are displayed, music is | | | | This is referred to as a zero day threat. To cover |
| heard, or other active content is presented. Cyber | | | | this possibility, many software companies include |
| criminals can use flaws these kinds of procedures to | | | | heuristic monitoring functions in their programs to |
| have computer viruses or spyware installed on your | | | | check for any suspicious activity on your computer. |
| machine without your being aware of it. | | | | They can identify the program responsible for this |
| Consumer Reports Magazine conducted an extensive | | | | type of activity and prevent it from operating. |
| survey of computer users to find out how many | | | | Spyware is another threat you may encounter just |
| people have been affected by computer viruses. | | | | by surfing the Internet. Not long ago it was |
| They reported the results in the September 2007 | | | | necessary to install separate programs to defend |
| issue of their magazine. They found that 38 percent | | | | against viruses and spyware. But many software |
| of computer users had encountered a problem with a | | | | companies have now added anti-spyware capabilities |
| computer virus in the two previous years. So the | | | | into their antivirus programs. This is another factor to |
| problem is widespread. | | | | consider when selecting an antivirus program. |
| Most antivirus programs use a signature database to | | | | |