When I turned on my computor today I get a WARNING that the application can not be executed. The file AEI.exe is infected. Please activate your anti virus sostware. [email protected]

<b><u>An insight in VIRUS INFECTION and VIRUS SPREADING</u></b><br /> <br /> In today's computing spreading of virus is fast and very common.<br /> Even with an up to dated antivirus software the spreading of the virus infection is fast.<br /> This is because, we are not aware of how the virus spreads in our system.<br /> Once we know how the virus infects and spreads in our system then we will definitely reduce the risk, time and money spent.<br /> <br /> <b><u>Here is a short insight about viruses:</u></b><br /> <br /> 1) Virus is a small program code enabling it to to mingle or merge with other program codes.<br /> <br /> 2) The Virus Program Code is written such that it deletes data, corrupts data, steals data send it to the maker of the code, etc.<br /> <br /> 3) The virus cannot run on its own. It has to be executed just like other exe program files. That is why the autorun.inf file is required.<br /> <br /> <b><u>Now for an insight how we get infected:</u></b><br /> <br /> 1) Thorugh the internet: Usually when we browse any web site files are downloaded from the web server to our temporary internet folder(in windows) Then our Browser software reads the files and executes them in the browser window for us to view the web site.( If you are a website Designer you would understand this for others get an insight how internet browsers work), So when we are in the internet Virus files attach themself to the downloading files and enter our system in the temporary folder, From here they are executed by our browser software or when any program accesses the temporary folder.<br /> <br /> 2) Another one is we download a lot of data from the internet, we should be careful on what we are downloading because if the data downloaded is infected with virus then we are downloading the virus to our system along with the data, Don't download the data unless you are sure you could trust the maker of the data, program,etc.<br /> <br /> 3) From other medias like Flash Drive, CD's, DVD,s,etc.:<br /> We copy a lot of data to our computer from our friends and relatives, so if the data is already infected with virus we copy the virus to our system also, when we run os use the data the virus is executed along with it.<br /> <br /> <b><u>Now for an insight how Virus Spreads:</u></b><br /> <b></b> <br /> Just like any other program code the virus code has to be executed.<br /> That is why the virus merges with other exe's which are executable and not with the data file.<br /> <br /> For eg: a file with .avi, .dat, .3gp, etc. all these files are data files they dont execute, but they are used by exe files like wmplayer.exe, winamp.exe, vlplayer.exe, etc. The .avi .dat .3gp files are data files, the wmplayer.exe, winamp.exe vlplayer.exe are program files. Thus mostly exe program file get infected with virus.<br /> <br /> Usually when our system gets infected and any antivirus program cleans our system you can notice that the windows media player or winamp player or vlc media player does'nt work because it is removed or deleted by the antivirus for virus infection but the songs or video you saved is unharmed in the harddisk.<br /> <br /> That is why the virus code hangs or merges or infects mostly exe program files, So that it is executed along with the program file.<br /> <br /> So when you run an infected windows media player to play a song the virus code is also run along with the windows media player. Thus the virus is run again and again.<br /> <br /> There are hundreds of program files in the os for doing various tasks.<br /> we are going to look into just one program which the virus uses to spread itself in our system.<br /> <br /> The Program is non other than explorer.exe in windows. This program is needed to view or browse the data files stored in the hard disk.<br /> When we double click the My Computer Icon on the desktop the explorer.exe is executed which show you a window on your screen with the hard disk drives and cd dvd drives in the windows Now you can imagine how frequently you use the explorer.exe. You use it to view any data on the computer, even our desktop uses explorer.exe. This program is executed right when windows logs us on.<br /> <br /> When this program file is infected, it keeps on executing the virus each time we use the program. by this method the virus spreads fast to every parts of the hard disk.<br /> <br /> Likely there is a method to avoid executing the virus along with the explorer.exe each time we use it.<br /> <br /> When we double click any icon or object on our windows screen we execute the default command in the right click menu. Usually it is the Run Command. for eg: when you double click word the word.exe runs, similarly when we double click the my computer icon the default right menu option is <b>Open</b> which run the explorer.exe program.<br /> <br /> Instead of using this method to view files and data in our system we could use an alternate method which is using the explorer menu option when we right click my computer or right click the windows start button or in fact the explorer option is there whenever you right click any object on the screen.<br /> <br /> By using this explorer option in the right click you get a window with two panes one to the left and one to the right. In the left pane you have the directory structure showing all the directories and folders in our hard disk and in the right pane the content of the directory or folder selected in the left pane.<br /> <br /> Thus in this process we dont execute any code or program command when viewing the data in our hard disk. because we do not execute the explorer.exe more than once.<br /> <br /> So, Imagine how we reduce the spreading of virus by using this method.<br /> <br /> Say you have a file saved in your hard disk in this location<br /> <br /> <b>C:\data\monday\20-11-2010\office\media\todaysjob.doc</b><br /> <br /> If you want to open the file with word we will double click my computer, then double click C Drive, then Double Click data folder,then double click monday folder, then double click 20-11-2010 folder, then double click till you come to the media folder then you double click the todaysjob.doc which will execute the word.exe program which reads the data in the todaysjob.doc file and displays the content as required. In this process see how many time you will execute the virus, You will run the virus Seven Times.<br /> <br /> In our Alternate method You will run the Explorer.exe only once, Then on you just navigate to the media folder then double click the todaysjob.doc file in the right panel. So you execute the virus only once. <br /> <br /> Hence you reduce the spreading of VIRUS to a great extend.<br /> <br /> Good Luck, If there are any mistake please bare with me, I am not a good writer. If you have any Question Keep Me Posted.