Risk factors and prevention methods for computer virus infection

Computer Viruses: A Quantitative Analysis of User Profiles and Risk Factors for Contracting Computer Viruses

The purpose of this study is a quantitative descriptive analysis of computer viruses. Specifically the researcher plans to identify what key factors identify users at risk for contracting computer viruses and what methods or techniques are best suited for combating increasingly insidious computer viruses in the future. The researcher proposes a pilot study that will facilitate further studies in this field much larger and much more comprehensives that will potentially have global implications for preventing computer virus damage to private and corporate users in the future.

In today's society, research suggests that computer viruses are perhaps one of the most prevalent security threats facing individuals, corporations and network computer users. Computer viruses have many abilities, including the ability to completely corrupt or delete data and crash computer systems (Hunton, 1998). The implications of such damage are wide ranging. Computer viruses can corrupt, destroy and eliminate data and damage computer systems. They can debilitate an organization and result in economic and financial loss that is in many cases unrecoverable (Hunton, 1998). For this reason it is vital that computer viruses are better understood, addressed and hopefully prevented.

As technology continues to improve the speed with which people communicate and perform complex business transactions on the Web, so too does the speed with which hackers and other undesirables fashion and create damaging viruses. New viruses are providing particularly complex and insidious, overcoming even modern anti-virus protection programs and finding new backdoors into existing networks.

Because of the potential security threat a virus presents it is important that individuals and organizations take precautions to protect their systems from attack. The purpose of this paper will be an investigational analysis of computers viruses. Specifically the researcher plans to identify the key factors that put a user at risk for virus infection, and identify what measures and methods are most likely to prevent viral infection.

Statement of the Problem

Research suggests that as many as 90% of large corporations and government agencies have experienced at least one computer security attack in recent years (Van Horn, 2003: 169). Other studies including those conducted by Consumer Reports show that roughly 58% of people responding to a survey reported attack by a virus within the last two years with 10% reporting serious damage (Van Horn, 2003). Studies suggest that multiple security issues exist.

For years, consumers and business enterprises alike have dreaded computer virus threats. Most computer viruses are programming code that can induce damage from minor to severe on a computers hard disk or applications (Hunton, 1998). Though many viruses are mild in nature, all should be considered malicious threats to the computer.

Background

The first viruses were created by experienced programmers who had no desire other than to improve their "computer skills to their cohorts" and most of these programs were benign in nature, often humorous and created for laughs (Hunton, 1998:39). Today complex viruses are often created with the intent to destroy entire systems or processes, and may even be implicated in terrorist activities (Hunton, 1998).

Computers can be infected in multiple ways, as in when a user boots or starts their computer using an infected program or when a user executes an infected program that has been transmitted to program files (more commonly the case) (Hunton, 1998). Despite their threat computer viruses typically must wait for an end user to execute then and cannot attack on their own (Hunton, 1998). Today there are thousands of new viruses created every day. One relatively new strain of virus referred to as a macro virus is particularly insidious, hiding in documents and only activating after a triggering event occurs (Hunton, 1998). These viruses are often buried in documents and can instruct the computer to engage in multiple complex actions including deleting or renaming files.

While the number of virus protection utilities that currently exists remains quite high, thousands of users are still affected by computer viruses every day.

Research Questions (include several)

How can users protect their computers from attack and damage?

How can personal information including identity be protected?

Is password complexity and changing enough to ensure security?

Which anti-virus software is best utilized to prevent virus threats.

What mistakes are users making that encourage serious attacks?

Why some users fail to implement security measures despite a known risk of virus attacks.

Hypothesis

The purpose of the study is to examine what users are most at risk for computer virus attack and what methods can best be used to prevent virus attacks. The author intends to use quantitative risk assessment of computer virus subjectivity. The author hypothesizes that user error is most likely to result in computer viral attacks and that education and prevention are the most likely source of protection from computer virus attacks.

Significance of the Study

At some point or another all computer users are at risk for virus attacks. Studies confirm that in business environments up to 90% of users will experience a virus attack at one point or another, and that 58% of the population at large will deal with a serious virus attack at least once during the course of a given year (Van Horn, 2003). Computer viruses can lead to extreme data loss and computer malfunction. In certain environments this data loss can be debilitating.

As more and more organizations rely on computer data including health care organizations taking advantage of telemedicine it is vital that users understand what risk factors heighten their susceptibility to virus attacks. Computer virus protection may also enable better personal protections to the public at large, decreasing the risk for identity theft or other crimes committed by computer hackers. This study will help determine what users are most at risk for attack and help determine what methods and techniques are best used to mitigate the effects of or prevent an attack from occurring.

Summary Research

The research clearly supports the trend that computer viruses are on the rise. Much of the information presented in the preliminary literature review supports the notion that prevention is a substantial key toward virus protection for end users. What researchers have not fully examined yet is what methods of protection will best protect users from virus attacks. This report will hopefully pull together the research available with regard to this issue, and also identify what users are most at risk for virus attacks.

The research currently available also confirms that modern viruses are becoming more insidious and complex, with the potential to incur more damage to computers and data than in the past. Studies suggest that newer versions of viruses may escape detection using standard anti-viral software. This presents a new threat to computer users that must be addressed, hence it is more important than ever that effective methods of prevention and control are designed to prevent future data loss.

Methodology

Design of the Study

The research study takes into consideration multiple factors when deciding the methodology. The history of viruses, positive and negative effects, organizational impacts, etc. will all be examined. These factors will be measured using a variety of techniques including field research that will involve collecting data on two user groups from a self administered questionnaire. The researcher will also compare data gathered from the literature review from the information gathered from the field research to identify what if any relationships exist between the two sets of information.

A quantitative research design will allow the researcher to distinguish what relationship exists between computer viruses and other dependent variables within a given population (Hopkins, 2000). The quantitative research design selected will be descriptive, establishing what association exists between the variables being examined. Independent variables to be examined will include user education, age, experience, sex, and job role. The dependent variable is the number of computer viruses attached to a specific user during a given time frame.

The main study will include a wide focus, in order to enable the researcher to estimate the effects of all variables likely to impact the dependent variable. For purposes of this study it may be more feasible to consider this a pilot study, as it will be difficult to survey a population sample size large enough to obtain the information necessary to complete a full descriptive analysis (Hopkins, 2000).

A pilot study will help the researcher identify the optimum sample size for a larger study, help determine the reliability of measurements necessary to complete the study and enable the researcher to verify whether the techniques adopted are feasible for a larger study (Hopkins, 2000).

Data Analysis

For purposes of this study the researcher will concern himself with measuring the difference in virus rates among two different users groups. The researcher will adopt a longitudinal research design to determine whether training and education result in less virus attacks and user error during a specified period of time (six months). Statistical analysis will be used to compare the relationships that exist between dependent and independent variables. Cross sectional longitudinal analysis will help the researcher measure the validity and reliability of the test in question.

Population Sample/Research Instrument

For purposes of this pilot study the researcher will sample two computer user groups consisting of 30 members each from 2 large urban corporate centers located in the downtown central business district. Users will participate answer questions provided on a survey that will identify their experience and level of training, number of viruses they are exposed to over a specified period of time, the damage incurred by those viruses and measures taken to prevent security risks and future attacks on their system. The survey will also attempt to identify users knowledge about the potential threats computer viruses present.

Results and Findings

The researcher intends to find that many different reasons influence users lack of knowledge or ability to implement adequate security measures to protect their systems from computer virus attacks. The preliminary research reviewed suggests that some users fail to understand the importance of security measures, whereas others do not understand how to configure security software and hardware properly to prevent a serious virus attack (Williams, 2001).

For purposes of this study the researcher also intends to find that a direct relationship or correlation exists between user training, experience and susceptibility to viral attacks. There is some evidence suggesting that user error is largely to blame for many virus attacks, whether that user error is the result of improper use or improper installation of security protection programs (Williams, 2001).

The researcher also intends to find that several simple best practices measures can be adopted to prevent future attacks on systems. These may include but are not limited to proper analysis of user vulnerabilities, testing organizational security protection methods against business applications, applying adequate security patches, updating systems documentation, regular and ongoing or specific training and attention to security management programs (Williams, 2001).

Conclusions/Implications and Recommendations

The research conducted in this study is of vital importance to private end users and organizational enterprises alike. Studies suggest that computer users are just as exposed if not more exposed in recent years to increasingly virulent and damaging strains of computer viruses. Much of the evidence presented thus far suggests that multiple factors may increase a users vulnerability to attacks, including but not limited to inadequate training and knowledge of the threats computer viruses pose.

This pilot study has much larger implications for the technological environment as a whole. The data collected from this study will help affirm what measures are likely to reduce computer virus risk for users regardless of their experience and the settings they work in. It will also help identify what techniques researchers can adopt in the future to further explore computer viruses and their reaching effects on the population at large.

This study will provide the framework and groundwork for future analytical studies that can include much larger population sample sizes, encompassing hundreds and even thousands of users on a global level. Hopefully the results of this study and of any studies that will follow will significantly reduce the number of people negatively impacted by computer viruses now and in the future. This in turn may result in greater data protections, personal protections and security insurance as users continue to use the Web for increasingly sophisticated practices well into the future.