Can Malware Kill Your Machine?

Malware can definitely kill your machine. There are at least 4 known pieces of malware that contain the code to do so, on purpose, though the common wisdom is that malware requires the machine to be working. The methods that are used are different, some will remove critical files, others will remove important portions of the registry, but the end result is the same.

Then, there is malware that makes use of your machine, by you, not practical or impossible. In most cases, restarting the machine in safe mode allows you to gain control of your machine. Then you are able to take steps to remove the malware and make your machine yours again.

Why is this done? There is no real reason that is known, but it is suspected that in the former case it gives the bad guys a window of opportunity to use the data they have stolen without fear of outside interference.

What can you do to prevent this from happening? The first line of defense is always to practice safe computing. Do not open attachments on e-mail from unknown sources or from known sources when you are not expecting them. Use of a good spam filter will remove many of these e-mails from your Inbox, and anti-malware products that have the ability to scan e-mail and attachments will also neutralize many infectious e-mails and attachments.

Try to avoid clicking on links to unknown sites. Doing so is not a surefire method, since many attacks can be launched from ads shown on trusted sites. McAfee produces a free product that works with most browsers, to help determine the trustworthiness of a site. Go to www.siteadvisor.com for more info about this product.

Check daily to ensure your anti-malware product is up-to-date. Usually, if you just place your cursor over the icon for the product that appears in your system tray, the version and last update time is shown in a bubble.

You can always call LAN Doctor, in McLean, VA, if you need help removing malware, or for help in protecting your machine. You can reach us via e-mail at info@landoctor.com or via the phone at 703.356.3070.