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Aid Workers Exchange
Guest
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 25, 2004 - 10:19 am: | |
Aid Workers Exchange - February 25, 2004
3 Steps to Computer Virus Protection
by Paul Currion
The recent 'MyDoom' virus affected everybody from individual users to multinational corporations and demonstrated that many people and organisations are still not taking the basic steps necessary to protect their computers against viruses. So what can you do when there is only a slow internet connection and no budget for commercial software packages? [read article] [version française]
What tips and good ideas can you add? |
Martin Jones
Guest
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 25, 2004 - 12:05 pm: | |
A few points I think you could have been more clear on:-
Viruses CONNOT destroy computers any more than stale bread can ruin a toaster
You didn't make clear the significance of worms which exploit network architecture and can spread themselves without a user even needing to click on an attachment. Usually antivirus software WILL NOT stop this from happening. The only way of protecting against these viruses is up to date patches (which you didn't mention) and a firewall (which you only mentioned in passing). For someone who uses the Internet even minimally, and is careful about what they open, a good firewall is as important, and in my view MORE important than an antivirus package in negating damage and information leakage.
I don't know how good the free virus software offerings are that you mentioned, but through Microsoft, Computer Associates is currently offering their virus software AND firewall for free to Microsoft users, this is also a very good package, it's all part of Microsoft's drive to make the Internet more secure, it's good PR for them to throw money at this. (see their website, 'Protect your PC in 2 steps')
Hope you don't mind me giving my advice!
Martin.
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Matthew Bader
Member
Username: Matthew
Post Number: 23
Registered: 09-2003
| | Posted on Friday, February 27, 2004 - 07:50 am: | |
Dear Paul,
Thanks for a sound article that will help people in field situations to gain an appreciation of what viruses are all about, and how dangerous they can be.
In my experience, the single biggest virus problem is not so much lack of software, but lack of updates, particularly in rural field settings. Because the updates are not available, the software ends up unused, perpetuating the problems of ignorance that your article addresses.
With the explosion of web use around the world, many software companies are making assumptions about the availability of internet connections and download-sufficient bandwidth. It is unfortunate that this has also translated into a lack of easy-to-use physical update solutions.
In many of the aid agencies that I have worked for, we developed very complicated procedures for updating anti-virus software with floppies or CDs. Unfortunately, these procedures are so cumbersome as to be almost useless, because in field work very few people will take one hour a week just to move around their different machines updating virus definitions. Also, some companies have moved to disable these procedures, apparently fearing violations of costly user-fee rules.
I wonder if anyone is aware of anti-virus software that has integrated physical update (i.e., not online) capability? This would be truly useful to all sectors of the aid community.
Martin's posting (cif - http://protect.microsoft.com/security/protect/WSA/en/default.asp if you are interested) is again very relevant for (Microsoft) users with reasonable access to the internet, but otherwise, what can one do?
Best regards,
Matthew Bader
www.jacanaworld.org
Matthew Bader - mbaderATjacanaworld.org
Regional Representative - Southern Africa
Jacana - www.jacanaworld.org |
Iain
Guest
| | Posted on Monday, March 01, 2004 - 12:20 am: | |
A couple of things to add to the above discussion:
1.)Be aware of hoax viruses - mostly these are just annoying e-mails that you get forwarded, but some more malicious ones attempt to trick you into deleting your own own files. If you have internet access (as opposed to just e-mail access via a slow sat-phone connection) check a database like http://www.sophos.com/virusinfo/analyses/
If you are reliant on a satphone e-mail a friend and get them to check before you start manually deleting files...
2.) I'd place a lot of emphasis on checking floppy disks and cd's if you are working with a local NGO, as they can seldom afford access to the internet viruses are often spread by infected disks - the plus side is most current virus checkers can pick these up easily as they often relatively old and well known. Free programmes like AVG (mentioned in Paul's article) are ideal for this and obviously v.useful for local NGOs.
3.) I've found a lot of international and local staff pick up viruses on disks they have used in internet cafes, so I'd strongly recommend avoiding mixing work disks with personal ones in internet cafes - keep a seperate disk and be sure to always scan it before using it again on a work computer.
4.) Its also worth considering that microsoft outlook and other e-mail clients such as Automail allow you to download a list of message details before you download the actual messages - this can be useful if you are on a satphone in particular as it allows you to avoid downloading messages from both unknown and known sources that contain attachments that may contain viruses (plus it allows you to filter out spam - so will win you a few brownie points with however is paying your satphone bill in HQ)
cheers,
Iain Paterson
iain@dulac.f9.co.uk |
nadege dzouali
Guest
| | Posted on Monday, March 22, 2004 - 09:44 am: | |
Je viens de lire le message de Aid Workers.
Merci pour les conseils, cela m'a aidé. Toutefois, est ce qu'il est vraiment possible de ne pas etre virusé alors que les programmes antivirus arrivent toujours après les virus?
Autre question: peut-on récupérer une disquette pleine de virus? Si oui comment?
Autre question: quel est le meilleur antivirus pour le moment?
Je m'excuses de vous poser toutes ces questions, mais pour moi c'est l'occasion d'en apprendre plus. Si vous répugnez à me répondre, je comprendrai. Je vous remerci à l'avance. |
Paul Currion
Moderator
Username: Paulcurrion
Post Number: 3
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Monday, March 22, 2004 - 09:45 am: | |
Merci bien pour vos questions - ils sont tres utiles. Mes reponses:
1. Il y a un grande discussion - c'est quoi le premiere, le virus ou l'antivirus? C'est pas important - les virus sont encore un vrai menace. Les programmes antivirus sont la defense est aussi le depannage. (Je sais pas si j'ai compris votre vrai question ici - si non, dites-moi la question encore, autrement!)
2. Avec une disquette avec une corruption des virus - c'est possible, quelquefois. Les programmes antivirus ont la capacite pour recuperer cettes disques - mais c'est pas un garantie! Quelquefois, la disque est endommagee et c'est fini - c'est la raison pour "la meillure protection" - tout le temps, faire des copies de sauvegarde de tous vos documents importants.
3. Le meilleur antivirus... ca, c'est tres dificile! Si vous avez les fonds, je prefere Norton Antivirus. Pour les programmes libre, j'ai utilise Grisoft AVG, mais j'ai un recommendation d'un ami pour AntiVir. J'ai aussi ZoneAlarm (par ZoneLabs, www.zonealarm.com) -c'est pas l'antivirus - c'est un application qui s'appelle un 'firewall' - pour le securite supplementaire. Malheuresement, ces programmes sont tous "anglophone"....
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Linda Poteat
Member
Username: Linda
Post Number: 2
Registered: 04-2003
| | Posted on Monday, March 22, 2004 - 07:54 pm: | |
Salut, Paul et Nadege! En faite, le Norton AntiVirus est disponible en francais. Voila les specifications, si vous voulez l'acheter:
Norton Antivirus 2004 (v10.0) W98/nt/2000/me/xp 5-user Oem
Part # : 10108870FR
Language: FR
Type: -STAND.
CPU : WIN32
Media : CD
Bon travail - Linda |
Brian F
Guest
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 30, 2004 - 10:58 am: | |
While appreciateing that not all organizations have the budget for it I think if possible a corporate edition of Norton/Symantec for the entire field site is an essential purchase. I am the Finance and Adminsitration officer for a medium sized NGO in west Africa and with no logistics post here the responsibility for looking after computers/software defaulted to me.
My organization works in 3 field sites in west Africa where only the capital city has a frequent internet connection. The field sites have occasional connections but most often use the internet café (run by another NGO) that seems to be inadequately protected against viruses as last year we were ravaged in the field sites by viruses of every description losing data and even computers in the process. Getting up to date virus suites was proving difficult so I contacted Norton/Symatec in the US. They recommended a corporate edition of Symantec. This cost just over 1,000$ but I consider it the best 1,000$ I have spent in 4 years overseas.
My computer (with a good internet connection) became the Administrator computer. All computers (HQ and field had the corporate product installed). All the HQ computers that were internet linked could update of the internet as normal. Every week I went to the Symatec home site and burned a copy of the latest updates onto a disk ad sent it out to the field where it was the local logistician’s responsibility to place the update on all computers. The procedure is literally 5 minutes for every computer. The only time consuming element is the initial installation.
We have in the 6 months since installation no major problems. We will have to renew our subscription on an annual basis but we hope to get a discount as a registered charity.
It is definitely an expensive solution but having personally tried to do this on the cheap with various “free” packages I think if you can afford this option that you give it serious consideration.
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