Computer Viruses, Just What Are They To Seniors?Computer Viruses, Just What Are They To Seniors? Computer Viruses are a great big pain in the rear, that's what! Sometimes with just a phone and/or computer as their only means of communication, seniors need to be extra careful on line. I don't mean be afraid, just be aware. Just as you are before you open a door, you need to think before you open e-mail. I want to help you understand some of the Viruses out there in the WEB world. And as long as you can probably remember, it still goes; "If it sounds to good to be true, it still is". Just as I explained before, knowledge and awareness are key to your continued enjoyment of an independent lifestyle. You can review this now or later in my section of senior scams. 
A computer virus is a program that can copy itself and, without you even knowing it, infect your computer. It can be sent over the Internet or brought in from a cd(like music), floppy(magnetic storage medium encased in a square or rectangular plastic shell), DVD(like a movie), or USB drive(a portable storage device).A Virus is a catch-all phrase used to include all types of malware(short for malicious software). Some viruses and other malware have symptoms noticeable to the computer user, but many do not. Some include worms, trojan horses, spyware, crimeware, and other malicious and unwanted software. Viruses can increase their chances of spreading by infecting your files. So do not, don't, never, open e-mail unless you are positive that you know who it is from. It is just like opening the door to a stranger. A computer virus is that stranger.
Phishing in the field of computer security, is a criminal process of attempting to get sensitive information such as user names, passwords and credit card details by masquerading as a trustworthy person, or representative of a company in an electronic communication.
SIMPLE. You are opening a computer virus if you do!
Let's see if I can make this a little more simple to understand. If you buy something, on line, a window will pop up for your credit card information. Or, if you do your banking, bill paying, or investing, on line, a window will always pop up for your information. You do this ONLY from that companies web site! 
Never, never, never will these true companies that you deal with, ever, ever, ever, ask you for information through an e-mail!!! If they do, it is not the real company. It is someone masquerading as a trustworthy person, or representative of a company in an electronic communication.NO NO NO Never, Never, Never give personal information through e-mail!! Web Page Spoofing, is also known as Phishing. In this attack, a legitimate web page, such as a bank's site is reproduced in "look and feel" on another server, under control of the attacker. The intent is to fool you into thinking that they are connected to a trusted site, for instance, to get user names and passwords. I know this is a little over whelming, however it is pretty SIMPLE! Stay with what You know and are sure of.
A Hacker is someone involved in computer security, also. Who better to have rob a bank than the one who works for the alarm system company! A Hacker knows more about how to break into your computers security system than anyone. They know all, and I do mean all, about computers and how to get to the very heart of one by any means.
Spam is the abuse of electronic unsolicited bulk messages. (Junk mail!) It is the practice of advertisers sending unwanted e-mail messages, frequently with commercial content, in large quantities. A lot like telemarketing phone calls. It has been the subject of legislation in many jurisdictions. Put these in your spam folder (unopened) when you get them, and you should not get anymore. A Computer Worm is a self-replicating computer program. Computer viruses reproduce using the hardware and software already present on computers. Unlike a virus, a worm does not need to attach itself to an existing program.
Viruses are often spread by attachments in e-mail messages or instant messaging messages. To help avoid viruses, it's essential that seniors keep their computers current with the latest updates and antivirus tools, stay informed about recent threats, and that they follow a few basic rules when they surf the Internet, download files, and open attachments.
Remember: Never open an email attachment unless you know what it is--even if it's from someone you know and trust. Seniors are bright, intelligent, and experienced people. But we learned to be that way. Just a little more learning can continue to keep us safe and enjoying our continued independence. Return To Home From Seniors and Computer Viruses
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