DMACC Tech Update

As part of our community service, DMACC information experts provide tech updates on the Saturday and Sunday morning KCCI news broadcast.

Current Segment: Malware/Spam/Viruses
(Protecting your computer from malicious software)
Broadcast Date: May May 26, 2007
Presenter:Shon Miles
(Note: these air dates are subject to change based on the news of the day)

Malware – software that is intended to harm or perform undesired activities on your computer without your consent.  The term is derived from the two words “Malicious” and “Software”

What are some forms of Malware

• Virus – software usually designed to do damage your files or even entire computer system.
• Worm – Similar to a virus but uses your system to propagate, or copy itself to other systems you are connected to, either on your own network or the internet.
• Trojan – A form of Malware that is disguised as something “useful” to trick you into running it. The title of this malware is derived from the classical term Trojan Horse.
• Spyware – programs that collect private information about you and your computer usage without your consent.
• Adware – Software integrated into an application as a means to provide advertising, and often times make up for proving a piece of software free of charge.  The controversy here is that often times the adware is acting as the previously mentioned Spyware.

History on Malware

• Early on a number of viruses were written as internet pranks written by young programmers as intent to be annoying more than anything. Even as late as 1999, widespread viruses such as the Melissa virus were written merely as pranks.
• Around 2001 popular viruses such as the infamous “Code Red Worm” took on a much more harmful intent, defacing public websites and costing companies millions of dollars in ours of repair to restore systems to normal working order.
• Since the emergence of Broadband (DSL, Cable high speed home internet connections) much more malicious malware has come along with a profit intent as its agenda. Since 2003 the majority of malware has had the intent of “high jacking” a user’s computer to use it to be a central location to send out spam or spread other malicious software or host illegal data such as child pornography, or engage large scale DoS (or denial of service) attacks against a larger target company.  Where your computer would act as a “soldier” in contributing to take down a more popular commercial website by sending unwanted packet of information along with thousands of other infected PC’s to the point the target machine cannot keep up and crashes.

Why is this bad for me?

• These unwanted programs take up valuable hardware resources on your computer, such, as memory, CPU time, and hard drive disk space.  Having these Malware programs on your computer using these resources without your knowledge is no doubt slowing down your PC and decreasing your overall productivity level and probably even causing you stress as the waiting time for accomplishing what used to be simple tasks take longer and longer due to the malware working its unknown deeds before your work gets done.
• What makes me vulnerable to Malware?
  • “Bugs” or security flaws in software
  • Programs from a floppy disk, CD, or flash drive, could execute without your agreement.
  • Too much authority given to computer user – Some systems allow all users Admin rights that can allow them to make internal changes they would not otherwise be able to make, and these malware programs usually execute as the current user logged into the system.
  • Specific systems are targeted based on their popularity, and these are Microsoft Windows Operating Systems running Microsoft Internet Explorer as the primary Web Browser.
• So what tips can help me prevent Infection?
  • Run Antivirus Software that gets updated on regular basis.
    • List of top 10 Antivirus Software products ranked from PCWorld (rankings included performance, ease of use features, and price:
      • http://www.pcworld.com/article/124475-1/article.html
    • In addition to being mentioned on this top 10 list, there are two free versions that are good for home users, AntiVer Personal Edition Clasic, and Avast! Home Edition 4.6
  • Run Antispyware software that gets updates on a regular basis.
    • Users buying new computers with Windows Vista will have built-in protection via a product called Windows Defender.
    • Other popular products in this area
      • Ad-Aware ( http://www.lavasoftusa.com/ )
      • SpyBot Search and Destroy ( http://www.safer-networking.org/en/index.html )
    • Where can I learn more about using these programs?
      • Bleepingcomputer.com Provides some helpful tutorials on using this various malware removal and detection programs http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/category38.html
  • Create lower privileged accounts that do not have Administrator access to the PC to do your daily operations if possible.
  • If it is not a necessary to use the site you want to visit with IE, try using Mozilla Firefox, a browser that does not allow ActiveX support, which happens to be a primary delivery method for a great deal of Malware. (ActiveX is a Microsoft specific programming method for delivering web content) More advanced users may wish to turn off ActiveX or stop it from running by following these instructions http://support.microsoft.com/kb/240797 if they prefer not to use an alternative web browser than IE.
  • Adapt safer “surfing” habits. (might link to Bryans segment)
    • Social Networking sites have become popular places for online users to hang out, this is well known by the Malware producing people, and thus these sites, like MySpace.com that have users with ill intent, will have links to sites that contain Malware but falsely claim that the site provides detections and solutions when in fact it nothing more than a method to hijack your system if it is detected vulnerable.
      • Avoid temptation to click on flashy links claiming they will protect your computer from harm; products that really protect your do not need to resort to this type of advertising.
    • Delete unsolicited email that promises rewards.
    • Never share personal information with strangers.
    • Never send your password in emails, or tell it to anyone that asks.
    • Sites that offer legitimate online shopping/banking, and bill paying employ some type of encryption technologies to protect your personal information, ensure your using these types of sites for these services.
      • This can be done in most Web browser by right clicking on a blank part of a web page ad choosing properties, and then clicking on Certificates.  The certificate should be from a trusted company and the name on the certificate should match the Website Address that you are on.
  • Check your PC often to make sure you are not infected.
    • Using your Antivirus and AntiSpam protection software, run full scans of your computer to ensure your staying protected.
    • Make sure you keep your Antivirus and Antispam software is up-to-date before each scan.  Most packages have built-in update checking to ensure you are current on the types of threats that can be detected by your scanning software.

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Meet our Experts


Bryan Burkhardt

Bryan Burkhardt is a professor and Chair of Electronics Programs at the Ankeny DMACC Campus. His educational background is in computer engineering from Iowa State University and his professional interests are split, primarily between technologies relating to automation & robotics, alternative energy, and computer security. His “spare” time is spent volunteering, traveling, and generally pursuing other “nerdy” endeavors.

Shon Miles

Shon is Systems Engineer and the lead Microsoft technology expert at DMACC. He is in charge of DMACC’s messaging system, SQL data base systems, and all Microsoft Infrastructure Servers In the environment, including student, faculty and staff network access accounts and email boxes. Shon earned a BS degree with a Management Information Systems major at Iowa State University.  He worked for Intel Corporation delivering IT solutions to large customers, (such as General Electric, The United States Army, American Stock Exchange, Price Water-house Cooper) and was heavily involved in Intel's communications restoration effort in New York after 9/11 and developing disaster recovery solutions for large customers post 9/11. Shon returned to Iowa to be closer to his family and friends.