Computer Viruses and ThreatsSection 1.03: Identify best practices for computer security and privacy

Essential Question: What are the threats to your computer?

Computer Viruses

A virus is a program that has been written to cause corruption of data on a computer.

1988: Less than 10 known viruses1990: New virus found every day1993: 10-30 new viruses per week1999: 45,000 viruses and variants

Source: McAfee

Virus Growth

0

10000

20000

30000

40000

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1988 1990 1993 1999

Malwaremalicious softwaresoftware used or created to

disrupt computer operation, gather sensitive information, or gain access to private computer systems

Spywareis a type of malware installed on

computers that collects information about users without their knowledge

Types of Computer Viruses• Worm

• a virus that replicates itself over and over in the computer's memory until the computer can barely function causing your computer to work more slowly.

• Works slowly through files• Time bomb

• Virus that does not cause its damage until a certain date or until the system has been booted a certain number of times.

• Logic bomb• A virus that becomes active when a particular activity

happens. • Ex. appearance or disappearance of specified data.

• Trojan horse• A virus that hides itself inside another legitimate program

causing it to do something different than what it is expected to do. http://www.commoncraft.com/video/computer-viruses-and-threats

Privacy and Security Issues

Any time you submit information on the Internet, it is possible for the information to be gathered by many persons and used for various situations including being sold. Information can be gathered from online sources such as schools, banks, hospitals, insurance companies, and many other sources.

Security Measures

http://www.commoncraft.com/video/secure-passwords

http://home.mcafee.com/VirusInfo/AntiVirusTips.aspx

Viruses around the Globehttp://home.mcafee.com/VirusInf

o/VirusMap.aspx

Virus Information ActivityDirections: Choose one of the keywords listed on the

next slide. Go to the McAfee virus information library (

http://vil.mcafee.com/) and search for information dealing with your selection.

Skim through the choices and pick the best one to explore! Explain what the virus is, what it will do, and steps to fix it.

Virus Awareness Activity: Debriefing

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• Pretty• Cobra• Sorry• Funny• Perrin• Nim• Code Red