Frequently Asked Questions

Spam is basically evil, on so many levels. It not only clogs up the internet, physically slowing other traffic down (over 80% of emails are spam), but it is one of the biggest carriers of malware and malicious content.

McAfee has a minimum system requirement on which it’s anti-virus software will run. But it does recommend that a computer running its anti-virus software exceeds these minimums.

In terms of the operating system:

• Microsoft Windows 2000 with Service Pack 4 (SP4), or higher;
• Microsoft Windows XP with Service Pack 1 (SP1), or higher (32 bit);
• Microsoft Windows Vista (32 & 64 bit)
• Windows 7.

As regards the brain, a Pentium-compatible processor of 500 MHz, or higher. System memory needs to be equipped with 256 MB RAM, or higher, and there should be 150MB, or higher, of free hard drive space.

Video resolution should be 800 X 600 pixels, or higher, and the plugging into the world wide web should be via a high speed internet connection – DSL, or cable. The computer must have at least one of these web browsers: Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0, or later, or, Mozilla Firefox 1.5, or later.

Additional software recommended is the Microsoft .NET Framework version 1.1.4322, or higher.

Finally, you must have at least one of these email clients: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.0, or later; Microsoft Outlook 2000, or later; Eudora 6.0, or later; Mozilla Thunderbird 1.0, or later; or, Microsoft Windows Mail.

Crudely, don’t be gullible. Online bank accounts and shopping merchants never ask for your personal information via an email. Make a rule: never send any personal information out via a digital response. If in doubt, ring your bank, or online merchant, and ask them. As to emails asking for money, remember that rarely does anyone give you money for nothing. Obvious clues are the absurdity of the offer, random approach, your name missing and bad language/grammar structure. Just don’t bother.

Phishing is the title given to emails which pose as coming from some legimate organisation and ask you to send back personal details, usernames and passwords, in order to make an attack on your computer and gain access to your online bank and shopping accounts. They might also be ‘sob’ stories. Emails from people saying that if they only had £200 for the administration charges, they would let you share in the millions coming to them once the paperwork is finished.

Never. Purchasing from spam inspired leads, no matter how good you think the bargain, is perpetuating the spammers’ justification to go on. If everyone ignored spam, it would disappear rapidly as an unprofitable waste of time.

No, never reply to spam. Once you reply to a spam email, the spammer knows you exist and that he has a valid email address. He might then sell this address on, based on the fact that it is active and that the person has replied, and so the logic goes, might well reply again and open themselves up to a sales pitch, or a malware attack.

A PC connected to the internet is under constant attack from opportunist hackers, spammers and cybercriminals. Think of a computer as a castle that has to be constantly defended against barbarian attacks. If you don’t take the appropriate measures, your castle will quickly become overrun by baddies.

No, Cookies are not viruses. They may reveal a lot about a computer user, but they are there mainly to make life quicker and easier for the computer user. They tell a website server information that re-introduces a user with a website, allowing a degree of customisation to take place.

The Conficker is a virus, or more precisely, a computer worm. It’s one of the worst for many years and effectively joins computers together into a zombie network which can then be manipulated by the authors of the virus. It’s reckoned that the Conficker is currently in control of over five million computers in homes, offices and government institutions.

Aptly named after the Trojan Horse in Greek methodology, a Trojan is a subversive piece of code that creates an open back door into a system which can be exploited by hackers, or cybercriminals, by disguising itself as a necessary piece of software.

Adware is a term for legitimate pieces of code that are there to help the user with their internet experience; including adverts that the user has fully accepted in return for a free programme, or free service. Although not a virus, adware can become irritating for many, but it should not be installed onto a computer by clandestine methods.

As the same suggests, its code that is sneaked onto a computer with malicious intent; to spy on the user and copy, for example, keyboard strokes to determine usernames and passwords.

There are a large number of types and kinds. Viruses are technically within a category which is known as Malware. This is the proper generic term to describe malicious software code. Types of Malware include not only viruses, but spyware, trojans and various kinds of malicious active content.

No, McAfee alone believe that there are 220,000 computer viruses out there currently. Also, hackers (cybercriminals, scammers, call then what you will) are reckoned to attack PCs which are connected to the Internet every 39 seconds.

Malicious pieces of software code that come in many forms and are designed to either do damage to your computer, steal personal information, or turn your computer into an unwitting zombie.

We are located at 9, Bloomburg Street, Pimlico, London SW1V 2SB.

Currently, about one in four.

You can bet on it. If you have a computer which either sends, or receives emails, or one that is used to surf the internet, then if you don’t use a viable anti-virus software programme, it is most likely you will pick-up a virus very quickly.

Ironically, viruses are bad enough, but there are an increasingly number of mobile phone hoaxes out there. Hoaxes are claims that a particular virus exists, when it actually doesn’t. Antivirus companies often keep a list of previous hoaxes and warn computer users when a new variation arises.

One of the main problems with virus hoaxes is that they might lead people not to take the overall problem of viruses seriously enough.

But if a computer user suddenly sees an urgent virus warning, then they would do well to check it against the hoax list.

And always remember that some viruses start life as a hoax, in order to lull users’ into a false sense of security, but then the hoax becomes a real virus. This happened with AOL4FREE which began life as a hoax virus warning. This did the rounds, then somebody actually created a AOL4FREE trojan virus and began distributing it with the hoax warning. This little tactic took in a lot of people and a number of people were successfully attacked. As always, never open an email attachment unless you are sure you know the email’s origins and that it comes from a trusted source.

Another current hoax, again targeting AOL, is the America Online FlashNews Hoax. If you receive an email purporting to be from AOL and it reads along the lines of:

“Dear AOL Community Member:

AOL is experiencing major problems, due to a virus that was recently loaded onto our main user database, containing most of our member registration information. We are currently experiencing widespread system failure. The problem originated when our system was illegally breached by a former AOL employee….In order to fix this problem, we need you, the America Online User to click on `Reply' and enter in your log-on password in order to have these problems fixed. Thank you for your consideration and continue to enjoy America Online!

If you have any questions, please discuss them with your contact at AOL.”

Very plausible and for some, a hard email to resist. But in the true traditions of a phishing email rather than a virus, the con is in the second part when the email asks for that very valuable information which AOL would never ask for via an email. Remember to never release such details and always keep your personal information to yourself.

If you receive such emails, send them to your antivirus company and do not reply.