Virus

Virus:
A computer virus is a computer program that can copy itself and infect a computer. The term "virus" is also commonly but erroneously used to refer to other types of malware.
Viruses can increase their chances of spreading to other computers by infecting files on a network file system or a file system that is accessed by another computer.

Malware:
Short for malicious software, is software designed to infiltrate a computer system without the owner's informed consent.
Malware includes computer viruses, worms, trojan horses, spyware, crimeware, most rootkits.

Worm:
is a self-replicating malware computer program. It uses a computer network to send copies of itself to other nodes (computers on the network) and it may do so without any user intervention. This is due to security shortcomings on the target computer. Unlike a virus, it does not need to attach itself to an existing program. Worms almost always cause at least some harm to the network, if only by consuming bandwidth, whereas viruses almost always corrupt or modify files on a targeted computer.

Trojan Horse:
A Trojan horse, or Trojan, is malware that appears to perform a desirable function for the user prior to run or install but instead facilitates unauthorized access of the user's computer system. "It is a harmful piece of software that looks legitimate. Users are typically tricked into loading and executing it on their systems", as Cisco describes.
A Trojan horse may modify the user's computer to display advertisements in undesirable places, such as the desktop or in uncontrollable pop-ups, or it may be less notorious, such as installing a toolbar on to the user's Web browser without prior mentioning.
Once a Trojan horse has been installed on a target computer system, a hacker may have access to the computer remotely and perform various operations, limited by user privileges on the target computer system and the design of the Trojan horse

Spyware:
Spyware is a type of malware that is installed on computers and collects little bits of information at a time about users without their knowledge. The presence of spyware is typically hidden from the user, and can be difficult to detect. Typically, spyware is secretly installed on the user's personal computer. Sometimes, however, spywares such as keyloggers are installed by the owner of a shared, corporate, or public computer on purpose in order to secretly monitor other users.

Crimeware:
Crimeware is designed to perpetrate identity theft in order to access a computer user's online accounts at financial services companies and online retailers for the purpose of taking funds from those accounts or completing unauthorized transactions that enrich the thief controlling the crimeware.

Rootkit:
Rootkits can target the BIOS, hypervisor, boot loader, kernel or less commonly, libraries or applications.
The most common forms of rootkit either damage the systems they occupy or redirect the systems' resources for purposes ranging from pranks to gratifying their authors' egos to crime.

Virus vs. Worm:
A virus stays on your computer and your computer only.
Worms crawl through networks.
Unlike a worm, a virus cannot infect other computers without assistance. It is spread via trading programs with others (file sharing programs, email).

Spyware  vs. Adware:
Symptoms: Sluggish Pc, Increased pop-ups, homepage changes, strange search results.
Both are data miners, meaning they are looking for information. Both cause the above symptoms.
Can lead to identity theft.
9 out of 10 pc’s are infected.
Good place to look for info? http://www.webroot.com/spywareinformation

Spyware Removal:
You can try to do it manually- but is often very difficult. 
Often it can disrupt major computer processes.
You can check out the following free programs:
AdAware
SpySweeper (both versions, free&pay)
NOTE: Please be careful when downloading these tools, some programs claim to remove spyware, but instead, come with their own spyware embedded.

Top Spyware Threats:
PurityScan
N-Case
Gator
CoolWebSearch
Tansponder
ISTbar/AUpdate
KeenValue
Internet Optimizer (bargain buddy)
Perfect Keylogger
TIBS Dialer

For more information on these, visit:
http://www.webroot.com/spywareinformation/spywaretopthreats/

Basic Computer Maintenance

LCD Monitor:
- Do not touch or attach items to the screen.
- Turn off to clean.
- Spray mild window cleaner on a soft cloth.
- Do not spray directly on screen.
- Do not use paper towels.

Wires:
- Avoid pulling or putting stress on your wires.
- Avoid putting objects on top of wires.
- Always disconnect cords by grasping the plug, not the cord.

CPU:
-Turn power off before cleaning.
- Any type of household cleaner for outside.
- Once a month take off cover and gently blow off dust.
- Always disconnect power cord by grasping plug- not cord.

Surge Protectors:
- Use a surge protector to protect electronic devices from power surges.
- Will not offer 100% protection.
- To be safe, never use computer during a storm.

CD-ROM Drives:
- Always use the button to open and close the drive.
- Do not use compressed air to clean the floppy diskette, CD, DVD or Zip drives.

CDs and DVDs:
- Use a soft cotton cloth
- Wipe against the tracks starting from the middle and wiping outwards
- Never wipe with the tracks
- Water w/ soap or rubbing alcohol

Keyboard:
- Do not eat or drink while typing on your computer.
- Turn off before cleaning.
- Spray Windex onto cloth, not on keyboard
- Use Compressed air

Mouse:
- Clean the top of your mouse like your keyboard
- Scrape guck off bottom with your fingernail

Installing Software:
- Do not use “bootleg” software
- Be sure to reboot after each program is installed
- Test your computer for problems before installing another program

Protect Against Viruses:
- Don’t open email attachments from people you don’t know.
- If your computer suddenly starts acting strange, you should run a virus scan.
- Be careful about disks and CDs from other computers- not everyone has virus protection.
- Use a firewall. A firewall is a piece of software or hardware that helps screen out hackers, viruses, and worms that try to reach your computer over the internet.
- Be careful about what you download from the Internet!
- Be sure that everyone who uses your computer follows these rules!

General Troubleshooting:
- If your computer does not start the first thing to check is the power source… is it plugged in?
- If your computer locks up (freezes) the first thing you should do is restart the computer.
- If your document fails to print you should check the
    a. paper supply,
    b. power source,
    c. paper feeder.
- If you install a new software program on your computer and it does not work the most likely reason is that you do not have enough memory.