Anti-viruses and Cyber Crimes

Recently my laptop had to be reformatted as it couldn't be started and the loading process of the start up just kept going in loops. At the same time, virus alerts were popping up on my desktop and I couldn't do access my windows update because the virus was blocking it. So I decided to do the next best thing I could think of. My AVG virus scan and norton anti virus apparently didn't prove to be effective since that stupid virus found a way to feed on my windows update hence I decided to install Bit Defender.

Things were going smoothly at first, since the virus scan did it mojo, sieving out any other viruses and fixing other unforeseen problems but somehow couldn't remove that trecherous virus that was blocking my windows update. Worst of all, Bit Defender was slowing my entire com and didn't let me access my computer games which was what I need desperately to escape my schoolwork and virus headaches. Each window was taking at least 5 minutes to load once clicked on and so now I've uninstalled Bit Defender since in my opinion, letting the virus eat your com is better than waiting for more than an hour just to start your com or sign into MSN.

According to an article by ZDnet Asia, a Symantec Asia-Pacific Internet Security Threat report stated that 'Singapore--with its small population--is ranked second in terms of the level of malicious activity per user, Ng said, adding that Taiwan has the highest level of such activities per user. "That doesn't mean Singapore has a high level of malicious activity," Ng said. He added that the city-state contributes 2 percent to the amount of malicious activity in the region. "It just means that an Internet user in Singapore may be more subjected to malicious activity," he said.'

As everyone knows, Singapore's government would be there to defend the nation and thus in 1993, Singapore passed the Computer Misuse Act (Chapter 50A of the Singapore Statutes), which it has amended four times, as recently as 2005. This Act addresses computer crimes and provides for stiff penalties for the violation of the law. It has applied its existing Penal Code provisions for activities that are deemed cyber crime. For example, the release of a virus would fall under the jurisdiction of the Computer Misuse Act, whereas an economic crime (e.g. extortion or securities fraud) would fall under the aegis of the Penal Code.

All in all, everyone should simply follow the procedures that was shown during Monday's COM125 lecture but keep in mind, you can't have a cake and eat it. Anti-virus programs do come with their limitations.