Warning concerning multiple computer viruses being detected

When scanning for viruses, keep count of the total number of viruses found, and write down their names! Note that we mean the total number of different viruses found, not the number of files infected. Some viruses infect many files, but they still count as just one virus. On the other hand, a virus that infects just one file counts just as much as a virus that infects many files.

If you find three or more different viruses on your system at the same time, it is urgently recommended that you reformat your hard drive and reinstall your Windows operating system.

First disconnect your system from any network you are connected to--particularly the Internet, then save any data you do not wish to lose. Once your data has been saved, reformat your system drive and reinstall your Windows operating system.

If three or more viruses are found, it is a sign that a hacker may have invaded your computer and installed hacker tools, or "Warez" in hacker lingo. There is no reliable means of removing these tools except to reformat your hard drive. Many of these programs are not technically viruses themselves, so antivirus scanners do not detect them. These programs may include backdoor programs, which permit a hacker to gain access to your computer in the future is spite of attempts you may make to protect your computer. They may also include programs such as keystroke loggers, which can gather such items as passwords, credit card numbers, or other personal data while you are typing it in and before it can be encrypted. This information can be used for fraud and identity theft.

It has been reported that it can take 400 hours (or more) of your time to clean up after an identity theft. You will have to deal with people such as employees of credit bureaus who have the interests of their customers (banks and other lenders) in mind, not your interests or convenience. Further, I recently heard that only one out of seven hundred cases of identity theft is even investigated by the police, much less resolved! If your identity gets stolen, you will find yourself all alone in a very unpleasant situation with no one to help you. The situation will make a tough audit by the IRS look like a picnic! So reformat and reinstall when a virus scan turns up three or more viruses.

After reformatting you hard drive and reinstalling your system, make certain that you are behind a firewalled router and have a reliable strong firewall such as Zone Alarm installed on your computer. Scan for viruses and worms with your antivirus program more frequently than usual for a while. There is probably a hacker out there who is feeling wronged at losing a computer he regards as being his, and he may want revenge! Also keep a very careful watch on your bank and financial statements for a while.