Don't Let Your Computer Be a Virus Carrier?

Revised with new information as of September 13, 2005

Is Your Computer Sending Out Viruses
Without Your Knowing It?
Use Virus Software and Keep It Up To Date!

Did you know that your computer can send out viruses without your knowing it? There are evil computer programs created only to plant themselves on your computer and send themselves as e-mails to everyone in your email address book, to people you have received e-mails from recently, or people you have written recently. Sometimes the programs just merely replicate and cause no real harm; often, however, they secretly destroy data on your computer!

If you are a nonprofit organization, your credibility can be adversely affected if users can trace a virus they have received back to you, or if you lose valuable donor or volunteer information, accounting data, etc. because of a virus attack.

You have the means to make sure your computers are not spreading viruses and aren't susceptible to attacks! It's easy:

if you already have virus software, look up the web site for the manufacturer of this software regularly and download the appropriate updated virus definitions, upgrades and patches. If you feel that you don't have the technical know how to do this, recruit a volunteer to help!
visit the TechSoup web site and type "virus" into the search engine; you will have access to a myriad of resources regarding preventing and countering computer viruses, provided in easy-to-understand language.
if you do not have virus protection software, INVEST IN IT NOW. Have a staff member or volunteer prepare a budget for two or three software options, and present this to your board of directors; one of them may be willing to sponsor the purchase of this software. And make sure that maintenance of this software is included in all future budgets for your organization.

And in case you haven't guessed: this newsletter topic was prompted by my receiving 12 attempted attacks in one day, including one that originated from the computer of a friend of my mom's (who had no idea what her computer was up to without her...).

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