Robert Slade's Guide To Computer Viruses : How To Avoid Them, How To Get Rid Of Them, And How To Get Help

For those who didn't buy the first edition, welcome aboard. For those who did buy the first edition, welcome back, and thanks for making the second edition possible. For those who bought the first edition and are standing in the book­ store wondering whether to buy the second, what's in it for you? Well, for one thing, it's smaller. (No, no! Don't leave!) I tried to make the first edition a kind of master reference for antiviral protection. That meant I included a lot of stuff that I thought might possibly be helpful, even if I had some doubts about it. This time I've tried to be a little more selective. I've added a little more material to Chapter 4 (Computer Opera­ tions and Viral Operations) dealing with the question of computer vi­ ruses infecting data files and the new "macro" viruses. I've added two new sections to Chapter 7 (The Virus and Society). One looks at the increasing problem of false alarms while the other looks at the ethics of virus writing and exchange. This book gives a thorough explanation of what computer viruses are, how they work, and how much computer users should worry about them. It is written to apply to all systems: micro, network, and mainframe and for both professional managers of computing systems and users of personal computers of all types, PCs, Macintoshes, and others. Robert Slade presents details of many of the most virulent of the known viruses and of the damage that they have done, as well as providing quidelines and recommendations to protect systems from infection. In addition, the book provides the widest possible range of reviews of the major anti-virus software packages available as well as many of the books on viruses. Contact addresses, telephone numbers, and electronic mail addresses are also given. In the event of a suspected virus infection, this book is the one that users will reach for! Included with the book is a diskette containing both four antiviral pieces of software for the PC and Macintosh and the complete virus catalog as produced by the Virus Test Centre at the University of Hamburg. Front Matter....Pages i-2 Introduction: Definitions, Jargon, and Myths....Pages 3-28 Beginner’s Panic Guide to Viral Programs....Pages 29-46 History and Examples of Viral Programs....Pages 47-90 Computer Operations and Viral Operations....Pages 91-130 Antiviral-Protection Checklist....Pages 131-144 Antiviral Software and Evaluation....Pages 145-168 The Virus and Society....Pages 169-204 Back Matter....Pages 205-422