Malware is an umbrella term for software that is designed to harm computers stealthily. Computer viruses used to be the most popular form of malware, but due to the proliferation of the Internet, spyware and adware are becoming the most common. Spyware tries to collect information about the user and send it back over the Internet and it may also try to redirect the Internet browser to an advertising site. Adware is generally bundled with free software and, although it is not necessarily malware, it can display annoying pop-ups and advertising.
To remedy these problems, the College offers an antivirus program called VirusScan for Windows. It is free for students and faculty. The license is perpetual so the product can still receive updates after a student graduates. And by updates, I specifically mean virus definitions. It is imperative to update antivirus software frequently because viruses spring up daily. Remember that even the best antivirus program is not impervious. The top tier antivirus programs block around 90 to 97 percent of viruses that they recognize. Some other antivirus programs that I recommend are Kaspersky Anti-Virus ($60), Eset NOD32 ($39) and BitDefender Antivirus ($25). Kaspersky consistently ranks among the top three in antivirus programs. NOD32 is a newcomer, but it is very lightweight in terms of systems resources and also very fast. BitDefender is good, but is supposedly the slowest of the three. These prices are for one year licenses, so in order to continue receiving updates, a new license needs to be purchased every year (is VirusScan starting to sound like a great deal or what?).
Most antivirus programs offer some form of spyware protection, but an anti-spyware program should be used also. Again, anti-spyware programs should be kept up-to-date. A popular free anti-spyware is Ad-Aware SE Free Edition and is available for download off www.lavasoftusa.com or on the Virus and Spyware Removal CD from the Computer Center. The free edition does not scan for spyware in real time, so it needs to be run manually once in a while.
Some students have wondered why the IT department does not offer a firewall program. The reason is that a firewall is not necessary when a computer is not directly connected to the Internet (i.e., it is on the Amherst network or it is behind a router). Nonetheless, paranoid users can still install a firewall to exercise greater control over what programs can access the Internet from their computer. My favorite firewall is ZoneAlarm and there is a free edition available for individuals and non-profit institutions. Firewalls are especially important to have on laptops because their Internet connections can vary depending on location.
It is my hope that readers will take the necessary actions to defend themselves against all the malicious software floating around out in the Internet. Always remember that common sense goes a long way when it comes to surfing the Web and downloading files or programs. Use only programs from trusted and certified companies and sites like www.download.com or www.CNET.com. Realize that even popular programs like AOL Instant Messenger or DivX have been known to come with spyware.
When next year rolls around, no matter how unpleasant, remember to get a physical checkup for yourself and your computer. And if you are so inclined, do both at the same time (trust me, it's faster).
Peter Le '10 regularly runs checkups on his computer and so should you. For more on spyware, viruses, adware and other nasties, send an e-mail to Peter at ple10@amherst.edu.