by Tim Wilde, Contributing Writer

When using the Internet the latest thing we have to fear is fear itself.

Let’s say you Google for news about a celebrity or hurricane that’s getting lots of coverage. Google responds with a list of web pages so you click on a link that looks interesting. Suddenly your PC’s screen fills with warnings that a virus has been detected. Here’s where fear becomes your enemy.

If you believe the warnings and respond by clicking on any of the buttons offered – even one labeled Cancel or Exit, you could inadvertently install a virus or other malware on your PC.

If you resist taking the bait and instead calmly employ what’s called the “three finger salute to Microsoft,” it’s very possible your PC will escape unscathed.

This form of Internet attack is called “scareware.”  The warnings look very official. And they can be intimidating, even to the point of using sound effects and voices to get your attention. Such creative efforts by malware programmers would be laughable if the resulting damage wasn’t so costly and time consuming to fix.

Here’s how to use the “three finger salute” if you encounter a scareware page.

Press the Control (CTRL), ALT, and Delete (DEL) keys simultaneously.  (In Vista you may then need to click on the option, “Start Task Manager.”)

Windows Task Manager should appear.

Click on the Applications tab and you’ll see a list of programs currently running. Among them will be the “browser,” which is the program you use to surf the Internet. It’s probably Internet Explorer. If the name isn’t visible its icon will be.

Click on the browser name or icon and then click on the End Task button. Another window entitled End Program may appear with a warning that the program isn’t responding, whereupon you should click on the End Now button. If the browser is listed more than once repeat the process until all references to it are gone from the list.  (Don’t do this to any of the other programs listed.) All the scareware warnings should now have disappeared.

Why not just pull the PC’s power cord from the wall?

Sudden power loss can be harmful to your computer and your data.  For example, you might have been typing a letter or doing some bookkeeping – work that could be lost if not saved properly before pulling the plug. It’s much better to take a surgical approach and use Windows Task Manager to stop only the program that’s causing a problem.

After the browser has stopped, save any work that’s open, close all programs, and then Restart your PC.

If your computer continues to display warnings, or otherwise seems possessed, more technical measures are called for.

Tim Wilde is a computer tech who lives in Alpine. 432-837-7224.