Viruses Can Spread By USB
December 6, 2008 by AntivirusWare.There is plenty of malicious code in the world, set up to infect your computer and wreak havoc. No doubt, you are aware by now of the many threats to your computer’s security that are transmitted over the Internet. The Internet is not the only way computer viruses spread, however.
With the increasing popularity of USB flash drives, many computer viruses are being transmitted via these little drives. These drives have become a popular alternative to other storage media for sharing information, thanks to their portability and ease of use. They make a better medium for virus transmission than CDRs or DVDRs do, because these media are inert.
Also, normally careful users may tend to be less cautious when accepting files from one of their friends for a number of reasons. For one thing, they are receiving files from a trusted source. For another thing, if they are large files, such as pictures or videos, they already take a significant amount of time to copy.
However, the risk of infection due to this sort of virus attack is becoming greater as creators of malware and identity thieves become more and more aware of the effectiveness of antivirus software. Protect yourself from these attacks. Make sure you run good antivirus software, and that your antivirus software is set up to scan everything you attach to your computer.
In addition to scanning USB drives when they are attached to your computer, you will also want to make sure your computer’s antivirus software is up to date.