5 steps to help avoid instant message viruses

Like e-mail viruses, instant message viruses are malicious or annoying programs that are designed to travel through IM. In most cases these viruses are spread when a person opens an infected file that was sent in an instant message that appeared to come from a friend.

The following is an example of what an IM virus sent through an infected file might look like:

 

Example of an infected file sent through an instant message

When unsuspecting people open these files, their computers can become infected with a virus. Because of the virus, their computers may slow down or stop responding, or they may not notice any change at all. However, the virus might have installed a covert program on their computer that could damage software, hardware, or important files, and that may include spyware, which can track information entered on a computer.

A computer infected by a virus may continue to spread the infection by sending copies of the virus to everyone on your IM contact list. A contact list is the collection of IM names (similar to an e-mail address book) that you can store in your IM program.

 

As with most threats on the Internet, you can help keep yourself safe by taking basic precautions. If you know how to avoid e-mail viruses, you'll already be familiar with many of these steps.