Home Site Menu Contact Us About Us Useful Links

Computer running slower than usual?

Virus and spyware infections can play havoc with your computer.

What are viruses?
Viruses are small files that attach to emails or downloads and infect your computer. They can be as harmless as displaying funny pictures on your monitor or they can go through your address book and send everyone within your address book the same virus.

More dangerous versions can completely wipe out your computer and all your information and some can take over your machine and send spam from your computer. Without your knowledge, you can then become an unwitting spammer.
To learn more about viruses etc click here for an excellent manual on the subject.

What are Virus Definitions?
The list of known viruses that anti-virus software searches for on your computer or incoming files and emails. In order for anti-virus software to work effectively it is vital that you should keep your virus definition files as up to date as possible.

What are worms?
Similar to viruses in that they are programs that are often designed to interfere with the computers they infect. They don't attach themselves to files or other programs but spread automatically across networks of computers

What are hackers?
Hackers are the underbelly of the internet. They are people who randomly scan the internet to find “openings” so they can go in and snoop around. Once into your machine, they have as much access to it as you do. That means your online banking, personal data, family data … are all available to a hacker.

What are adware and spyware?
Spyware and adware are small files that attached to almost anything that you may download and are designed to track where you go and what you view on the Internet … they then serve up popup advertisements. Some spyware and adware will even steal your personal information and credit card numbers.

Advertisers, web designers, and even the governments are using the internet to spy on you. Downloaded software, Web bugs, and cookies target you while you're online, watching and recording your actions and turning that information over to eager advertisers. These Spy-Ware technologies gather personal information, such as your IP address and shopping habits, without your knowledge or consent.

What are Keystroke Loggers?
Software that captures the keys pressed on your computer keyboard and sends a log of these to the hacker via the internet. Used to capture your passwords and often included in Trojans.

What are Trojans?
An apparently harmless program that contains malicius code designed to give control of your computer to a hacker. Can be used to record keystrokes (see keystroke logger) and delete files or even view your screen contents.

What is Phishing?
The use of "spoofed" emails and fraudulent websites designed to trick recipients into divulging personal financial data, such as credit card numbers, account usernames, security numbers and passwords. Sometimes the email is designed to scare people into responding by threatening to suspend accounts etc. Never enter your security details via an email. Always visit the website directly and ensure it is a secure webpage.

What is the answer?
The Shield Deluxe 2005™
Protects you against both viruses and hackers by providing ongoing support and updates. When a virus breaks out, The Shield Deluxe 2005™ will provide a patch within 2-3 hours and a fix for the virus within 5 hours.
You can set your computer to update viruses weekly and run a complete virus scan. Virus protection is a must and no one with internet access should surf without it.

Check if you have a suitable up-to-date virus checker running by clicking here.

If you don't, then visit shield-antivirus to get protected