User Guide

Internet Security and Privacy
64 Internet Guard Dog
How can my PC become infected with a virus?
An important thing to keep in mind is that viruses are spread only when you
run an infected application (or open an infected document file, in the case of
macroviruses).A viruscannottravelover yourtelephone line andinfectyour
PC on its own. You must first download or copy an infected application and
then run the application in order to infect your PC with a virus.
The only way to entirely avoidvirus infection is to do nothing—don’t use the
Internet; never download a file; never accept a diskette from someone else;
never share Word or Excelfiles. Of course, this draconian “Robinson Crusoe”
cure is unrealistic in today’s computing environment, where sharing data is
the norm and accessing the Internet is an everyday occurrence.

NOTE: InterntGuardDogoffers comeswithMcAfee VirusScanwhich is
easy to use. It automatically scans your PC for signs of virus infection,
and in vestigates suspectfiles before they have a chanceof infecting your
PC.
Virusesarespreadwhen infected diskettesaresharedbetweenPCs,andwhen
you download and run infected files from on-line services,bulletinboards, or
the Internet. Another potential (but remote) route for virus transmission is
when you access Web pages that use Microsoft ActiveX technology or Sun’s
Java. Web pages that use Acti veX, for examp le, can au tomatically download
programs to your PC, and these programs might be infected with a virus.
AlthoughthereisnoknowncasewhereActiveXandJavahavespreadviruses,
there is still a possibility— remote as it may be—for your PC to encounter a
virusinthisway.
A virus might be hidden in the next file you download, or on a diskette you
borrow —even diskettes purchased at a store. Downloaded shareware is also
a source of infection.

NOTE: Although Java and ActiveX are not, strictly speaking, viruses
(i.e., it can’t spread and replicate), they can st ill harm your PC. Guard
Dog’sdefaultsettingsallowittomonitorallJavaandActiveX activityon
your PC, and warn you before something potent ially dangerous occurs.
Frequently asked questions about Internet privacy
What information do Web sites collect about me?
Web sites collect information about you in two major ways.