In a time when people are worried about the security of their homes, their personal accounts, and even their country, it would be nice if you didn’t have to worry about the security of your computer system. Unfortunately, the possibility of infecting your computer is a concern with every click of the mouse, especially considering the danger of so many deceptive emails and tricky links on the internet. One especially aggravating presence is that of persistent infections, which integrate themselves so deeply into your computer that they are rarely detected by standard antivirus scanners. Additionally, some of these persistent viruses might restart themselves automatically, making it difficult for you to remove them.

According to Rob Jandzinski, head of the Antivirus team in eAcceleration Corp.’s Research & Development department, a user taking advantage of downloadable programs on the internet unintentionally infects his or her home computer almost daily. Many of these downloads, Jandzinski said, are programmed to infect a computer for no reason than to benefit the creator of the download.

“As long as ads pop up, (those) companies make money,” he said. “They write code that makes it nearly impossible to remove. We can get it out, it just takes longer.”

Before deciding on a course of action when faced with an infected computer, it is important to be informed of the different types of infection that commonly plague an unfortunate user:

1. virus: An executable file, the contents of which are meant to be interpreted as a program by a computer, or else a bit of software attached on a real program that reproduces each time the program runs. Viruses infect other files and can spread when executed as part of those files. The primary purpose of a virus is to replicate itself, which it usually does either by copying itself into the master boot record area of a floppy disk, where it runs a risk of infecting other computers; by attaching a copy of itself to the program files on your computer's hard drive; or by using the executable code in existing programs to run attached macro commands from within files. A virus can also exist in an email, and will spread by automatically mailing itself to people in the address book of the account it infects. To “execute” a file means, simply, to run it.
2. worm: A piece of software that replicates itself using computer networks and security holes. The copy scans the network for another machine, copying itself to a new machine via a hole in security. It repeats this process at any opportunity, spreading to as many machines as are available on the network.
3. trojan horse: A program that claims to do one thing but actually will damage your computer if you try to run the program. Unlike a virus, a Trojan horse cannot copy itself.
4. adware: A program that displays advertisements on your screen, which often generate revenue for a third party when the link is followed. Some adware programs gather personal information about you and select which ads to display based on websites you visit.
5. spyware: A program installed on your computer without your knowledge that gathers personal information by noting your internet browsing habits, keystrokes, and passwords. Spyware can be used to transfer this information to third parties, and can be used for the purpose of identity theft. In some cases, a type of spyware called a “browser Hijacker” can take over your web browser, automatically redirecting you to their web sites. Spyware can be loaded into your system in a number of ways. Some applications, especially ones offered online for “free,” install spyware as a part of their standard installation process. Some popup windows or websites are programmed to automatically install spyware on your computer, and other software programs that enhance your browser, such as a toolbar, can add elements of spyware. Some spyware is even disguised as antispyware programs, which tell you they’re cleaning your computer, while they load spyware of their own.

Infections written with malicious intent to make unauthorized changes to your system are commonly referred to as malware. Though many people don’t realize it, both Windows and Macintosh systems are susceptible to malware infection – though most malware is written for Windows systems – and many of the programs available for download online that claim to remove spyware actually install their own spyware, adding to your system troubles. With so many of these available on the internet, you should know that any antivirus program that touts itself as a “free” alternative to a well-known program or one that immediately informs you of a very high number of computer problems (numbering in the hundreds or thousands in the first minute of a scan) is probably not a legitimate program, and may actually exacerbate the damage you’re hoping it will undo.

Additionally, certain internet browsers have a higher tendency to expose your computer to infection; newer browsers such as Mozilla Firefox, for instance, carry a much lower risk than Internet Explorer, and even if you go through the process of removing a virus from your computer, some of the more persistent infections could hang around, returning later to plague you. If you don’t execute the code of an executable file containing an attached virus, it won’t do any immediate harm, but it has the potential to remain on your hard drive – since it hasn’t been executed, you might not even know it’s there. However, by not detecting and removing the file you risk spreading it to other computers via a copied program or a network, and you also leave open the possibility of accidentally executing it and damaging your computer in the future.

With new malware appearing on a regular basis and all the tricky ways of transmitting it, chances are if you own a computer, you’ll have to deal with an infected system at some point. Since malware programs are designed to run undetected, many home users might not recognize the common symptoms of an infected system, or know the proper precautions to take in order to avoid infection. Some indicators of an infected computer are:

1. Popup advertisements: If annoying advertising banners appear constantly on your screen while you browse the internet, or if random smaller windows pop up all at once, overlapping and blocking the original browser window, your computer may be infected.
2. A slow-running computer system. Any spyware or adware running on a hard drive takes up space, drains power, and makes your system sluggish and unresponsive.
3. Unexpected changes in browser settings (such as a new automatically loading homepage) the presence of browser toolbars you didn’t intentionally install, or the automatic rerouting of your browser to unfamiliar sites.
4. An increase in computer crashes, when your system freezes or shuts down unexpectedly.
5. A high number of runtime processes, even when you’re not running many programs.

Computer security has become such a problem that the U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team, a partnership with the Homeland Security Department, issued a warning in December 2005 about a wave of attacks that shut down major websites by exploiting computers at technology companies that help manage internet traffic. If even the pros are at risk, the threats to an average home user can be considerable. The good news is, as much damage as an infection can cause to your hard drive, the computer itself cannot be damaged by malware. Even if the hard drive is erased, the machine can be restored to run at full capacity. Erasing, or formatting, the hard drive is what Jandzinski calls a “drastic solution,” and is usually a last resort, as all files that were not backed up will be deleted. However, as a conscientious consumer, there are plenty of steps you can take to protect your computer and your files from malware:

1. Use caution when installing new software and when following links on the internet, especially links in popup windows. In particular, be wary of instant messenger clients, peer to peer (P2P) file sharing programs, and offers for free software or products. These programs often carry spyware or adware.
2. Run anti spyware scans on a regular basis to detect any unwanted files that may have slipped through the cracks. Also, make sure your protection program is up-to-date; many people find their computers are infected because they don’t take advantage of the antivirus software that is available, and don't routinely check for updates or patches designed to catch new strains of infection. Keeping up with the technology of your antivirus program will help you take the steps you need to take to avoid new types of malware.
3. Educate yourself. Many home computer users don’t know enough about how malware is transmitted to recognize a potential infector, and might not realize that an act as simple as opening an unfamiliar email might infect their system. Additionally, some viruses are designed to link themselves to emails and infect the computers of everyone in your email address book. Staying informed about the newest threats in the industry can help you recognize suspicious attachments, links, emails, and downloads, and prevent potential infection.
4. Use common sense. Only download software from legitimate websites, and don’t open unusual emails or email attachments sent by someone you don’t recognize. Be wary of “spam” emails and updates from mailing lists you didn’t request, as well as emails offering free merchandise, prizes, money, or quick solutions.
5. Use secure browser settings. Research which browser system will perform the tasks you need while providing you with the best protection from invasive programs.
6. Back up your files. By making copies of your important programs and files and saving them on a disk, you ensure that even in the event all your data is erased from the computer, your information is safe and ready to be restored onto a clean machine.

Though following these steps can help eliminate the risk of infection, if you do happen to discover malware on your computer, there exists plenty of technology to help you remove it and maintain a healthy system. Some commonly used programs include:

1. Spybot Search & Destroy
2. Symantec Anti spyware (Norton)
3. McAfee
4. Lavasoft Ad-Aware

These programs monitor your system and identify malware, cleaning the system when a virus is detected by removing the unwanted programs. However, some of the more stubborn viruses and spyware are designed to sidestep these systems and resist the cleaning procedure. These are programmed to reinstall themselves if removed, and won’t respond to a standard anti-spyware program.

StopSign, by eAcceleration, offers you, with your membership, an option to receive a Custom Cleaner, a unique solution to the problem of persistent infections. When you run a scan with StopSign, the system will send the information to eAcceleration automatically, and a StopSign technician will develop a personalized cleaner for your system at no extra charge, based on a system snapshot of your computer. The image will provide the technician with a detailed look at the files and problems in your hard drive, and the technician will use the image to create a cleaner that Jandzinski says is individually tailored to your log to remove all infections from your computer. Once the StopSign cleaner creator automatically targets and sorts files it recognizes as harmful, the technician will manually investigate any other files that look suspicious and incorporate them into the cleaner if need be. The finished product is tested to match your operating system and made available for you to download within 24 hours. If your internet connection is down, Jandzinski says not to worry – you can still get a custom cleaner if you need one.

“eAcceleration has a stand-alone program that can be put on a floppy disk,” he said. “This can be emailed to the customer, who can check (their email) from anywhere, and load it onto a disk.” At home, you can run the disk on your computer and load information to email back to eAcceleration. The cleaner is created based on that information and emailed back to you. You can then load the cleaner onto your disk and run it on your computer.

You should note, however, that the custom cleaner does not target programs with legally installed spyware.

“We will not remove something that has a legitimate license agreement,” Jandzinski said, adding that you have the option to keep any system you purposely downloaded, such as P2P file sharing programs, even if they do contain spyware by nature. The custom cleaner is designed to target sneaky malware, not delete programs regardless of your need for them.

In addition to this high level of free, personalized service, which is not offered by any other antivirus provider on the market, a paid membership with eAcceleration provides you with access to quality security software, including:

1. StopSign Computer Protection Service, an antivirus, spyware and adware protection program that includes a firewall, on-access and instant messaging scanners, and a popup blocker.
2. Veloz Computer Speedup Service, which cleans your hard drive and speeds up a slow-running system.
3. MegDat Personal Media Service, a file management program that secures important files automatically.
4. eAcceleration Select, a security bundle that includes SonicOffice, for creating office documents; WebVoyager, for speedy and safe web browsing; and the WindMail email client.
5. kon-X Internet Service, a low-cost dialup internet service with over 12,000 access numbers. Even if you prefer a faster connection for everyday use, you can use this service as a backup, to access the internet in the event of a cable or DSL failure.

These features, combined with eAcceleration’s free, unlimited phone, email, and live chat technical support, are included with your online membership subscription at no additional cost to you. No other software company offers you such a complete package for such a low price, or provides you with free technical support. eAcceleration will work to rid your computer of persistent infections and help you maintain a healthy, efficient computer system.