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One of the most common breaches of security occurs with computer infections. Computers are constantly being bombarded with spyware, adware, trojans, viruses, spam, and other malware. Unfortunately, some of this malware eventually gets on the computer. When it does, then is the time to assess the potential damage of the infection.
Assessing the Damage:
Most users may not even notice a computer infection. However, risks can vary from Identity Theft, to data corruption and lost files. To make maters worse, it is also very difficult to tell what kind, and how much, damage a computer infection has or will cause. If you notice your computer running slowly, gets lots of pop-ups, or get a warning from your anti- virus, then you are likely infected and should take consider appropriate methods of remediation for your machine. (WARNING: There are many types of spyware and adware that pretend to be a anti-spyware or anti-virus scanner. Never install a program you are not familiar with, and DO NOT take up offers from pop-ups that claim they will scan you computer for viruses or spyware.)
Remediation:
Recovering from an Attack: If your computer does become infected, it is recommended that you contact your technology support unit. That may be ITS (ITS Help Desk) or a local Technology Coordinator. If the system has been heavily compromised (i.e., someone has unauthorized access to your machine and its contents), the recommended practice at the University at Albany is to reformat & reinstall your operating system. Unfortunately, this process will erase your data files (music, documents, pictures), in addition to removing the malware. If there are important files on your computer, you will need to back them up onto a CD, DVD, External Hard Drive, or other media BEFORE attempting a reformat.
Preventing Future Attacks:
If you needed to reformat your computer to recover from an attack, then you need to IMMEDIATLY install all available patches and updated to your operating system. Next, be sure to turn on (Windows XP ) or install a firewall. Next, install and update anti-virus and anti-spyware programs of your choosing.
If you removed the malware instead of reformatting, you should still take the steps above, but also monitor your computer to be sure the malware doesn't come back (often it will appear to have been removed, but reappear at a later time). You may want to use tools such as Process Explorer and TCP View to check for malware. (If you are not sure how to use these programs, it it recommended you see a professional, or reformat your computer, to minimize your security risk.)
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