Computer Viruses

How is a computer virus a threat to computer security?

Think of a biological virus – the kind that makes you sick. It’s persistently nasty, keeps you from functioning normally and often requires something powerful to get rid of it. A computer virus is very similar. Designed to relentlessly replicate, viruses infect your computer programs and files, alter the way your computer operates or stop it from working altogether. It’s estimated that the Mydoom worm virus infected a quarter-million computers in a single day in 2004. Tens of thousands of viruses now operate over the Internet, and new ones are discovered every day.



How does a computer virus find me?

Even if you’re careful you can pick up these dangerous, unwanted programs through normal Web activities like:



•Sharing music, files or photos with other users

•Visiting a devious Web site

•Opening spam email or an email attachment

•Downloading free games, toolbars, media players and other system utilities

•Installing mainstream software applications without fully reading license agreements

Vista Shortcuts using the Windows key:

Window key+B Sets focus to first icon in the notification area. You can use arrow keys to move among the icons in the notification area or press Tab to move around

on the taskbar.





Window key+D Show Desktop (without the Sidebar).



Window key+E Windows Explorer (opens to Computer).



Window key+F Find Files or Folders (aka Search).



Window key+M Minimize All windows (Sidebar not included).



Window key+Shift+M Undo Minimize All Windows.



Window key+R Open the Run dialog box.



Window key+Tab 3-D Flip (flips you through your applications but with a cool graphic instead of the standard Alt+Tab). Requires the use of the Aero user interface.



Window key+Pause/Break System Properties.



Window key+F1 Windows Help.



Window key+L Locks workstation. If the user account has a password, it must be reentered to unlock the system again.



Window key+U Ease of Access Settings.



Window key+Spacebar This shows the Sidebar (the Sidebar must be open, but minimized).



Ctrl+Window key+Tab Brings up Flip-3D, but it will stay on the desktop so you can scroll up, down, left and right.

Window key+T Allows you to tab between application buttons on the taskbar.




Ctrl+Shift+Esc Opens Task Manager more faster than alt+ctrl+del.



Alt+Tab Windows Flip. Allows you to choose an open application to switch to by

repeatedly pressing the Tab key.



Window key+5 opens the snipping tool.



Some User Logging Shortcuts:



Window key (and then) three right arrows and Enter To Shut down



Window key (and then) three right arrows and U To Shut down



Window key (and then) three right arrows and R To Restart



Window key (and then) three right arrows and W To Switch Users



Window key (and then) one right arrow and Enter To Sleep

CD-ROM or other disc drive cleaning

Why? A dirty CD-ROM drive or other disc drive can cause read errors with CD discs. These read errors could cause software installation issues or issues while running the program.



Procedure: To clean the CD-ROM drive we recommend purchasing a CD-ROM cleaner from your local retailer such as a local Radio Shack. Using a CD-ROM cleaner should sufficiently clean the CD-ROM laser from dust, dirt, and hair.



In addition to cleaning the drive with a special disc designed to clean drives users can also use a cloth dampened with water to clean the tray that ejects from the drive. Make sure however that after the tray has been cleaned that it completely dry before putting the tray back into the drive.



Also see our CD cleaning recommendation for steps on cleaning each of your CDs.



Additional help: CD-ROM Page

CD / DVD cleaning

Why? Dirty CDs can cause read errors and/or cause CDs to not work at all.



Procedure: Cleaning CDs and DVDs should be done with a cleaning kit but can also be done with a normal clean cotton cloth or shirt. When doing this with a clean cotton cloth or shirt, wipe against the tracks, starting from the middle of the CD or DVD and wiping towards the outer side as shown in the below picture. Never wipe with the tracks; doing so may put more scratches on the disc.

Cleaning tools

Although many companies have created products to help improve the process of cleaning your computer and peripherals, users can also use household items to clean their computers and peripherals. Below is a listing of items you may need or want to use while cleaning your computer or computer peripherals.



Keep in mind that some components in your computer may only be able to be cleaned using a product designed for cleaning that component; if this is the case, it will be mentioned in the cleaning tips.



•Cloth - A cloth is the best tool used when rubbing down a component; although paper towels can be used with most hardware, we recommend using a cloth when ever possible. Caution: We only suggest you use a cloth when cleaning components such as the outside of the case, a drive, mouse, etc. You should not use a cloth to clean any circuitry such as the RAM or motherboard.

•Water or rubbing alcohol - When moistening a cloth, it is best to use water or rubbing alcohol. Other solvents may be bad for the plastics used with your computer.

•Portable Vacuum - Sucking the dust, dirt, hair, cigarette particles, and other particles out of a computer can be one of the best methods of cleaning a computer. Over time, these items can restrict the airflow in a computer and cause circuitry to corrode. Do not use a standard vacuum as it can generate a lot of static electricity that can damage your computer.

•Cotton swabs - Cotton swaps moistened with rubbing alcohol or water are excellent tools for wiping hard to reach areas in your keyboard, mouse, and other locations.

•Foam swabs - Whenever possible, it is better to use lint-free swabs such as foam swabs.

Case cleaning

Why? Keeps the appearance of the computer looking new. During cleaning, if ventilation locations are found, these can be cleaned helping the case keep a steady airflow to the computer, keeping components cool and in good working condition.



Procedure: The plastic case that houses the PC components can be cleaned with a lint-free cloth that has been slightly dampened with water. For stubborn stains, add a little household detergent to the cloth. It is recommended that you never use a solvent cleaner on plastics.



Make sure all vents and air holes are hair and lint free by rubbing a cloth over the holes and vents. It is also helpful to take a vacuum around each of the hole, vents, and crevices on the computer. It is safe to use a standard vacuum when cleaning the outside vents of a computer; however, if you need to clean the inside of the computer, use a portable battery powered vacuum to prevent static electricity.



If you are looking for steps on cleaning the inside of the computer, please see our motherboard cleaning section.

Introduction

Cleaning your computer and your computer components and peripherals helps keep the components and computer in good working condition and helps keep the computers from spreading germs. To the right is an example image of how dirty the inside of your computer case can get. This example is a dirty computer case fan.

Depending on the environment that your computer operates in determines how often you should clean your computer case. The below list is our recommendation and may change depending upon your computer's environment.

How often should I clean my computer?

The frequency of how often you should clean your computer varies on several different factors. To help you determine how often you need to clean your computer we've created the below chart, check each of the boxes below that apply to your computers environment to see how often to clean your computer.

Information technology (IT)

as defined by the Information Technology Association of America (ITAA), is "the study, design, development, implementation, support or management of computer-based information systems, particularly software applications and computer hardware."[1] IT deals with the use of electronic computers and computer software to convert, store, protect, process, transmit, and securely retrieve information.




Today, the term information technology has ballooned to encompass many aspects of computing and technology, and the term has become very recognizable. IT professionals perform a variety of duties that range from installing applications to designing complex computer networks and information databases. A few of the duties that IT professionals perform may include data management, networking, engineering computer hardware, database and software design, as well as the management and administration of entire systems.



When computer and communications technologies are combined, the result is information technology, or "infotech". Information technology is a general term that describes any technology that helps to produce, manipulate, store, communicate, and/or disseminate information. Presumably, when speaking of Information Technology (IT) as a whole, it is noted that the use of computers and information are associated.



In recent years ABET and the ACM have collaborated to form accreditation and curriculum standards for degrees in Information Technology as a distinct field of study separate from both Computer Science and Information Systems. SIGITE is the ACM working group for defining these standards.