Spread love not viruses

Last Friday when I got home, I turned my laptop on to check my mail. When Windows was starting up, a message box appeared which said: “Windows cannot load the locally stored profile: Insufficient security rights or a corrupted local file. Windows has logged you in with a temporary profile any setting you make will not be saved.”

All my files were gone. I started thinking about my SLR, my OLA pleadings, my case digests, my pictures, etc, etc. I tried to figure out the possible causes of the sudden disappearance of my files. Then there was a flashback of the lecture of Prof. Quimbo that morning: hackers, viruses… Uh-oh.

I asked the computer technician why people make computer viruses. He said that virus writers can have various reasons for creating and spreading malware. Viruses have been written as research projects, pranks, vandalism, attacks on products of specific companies, means to spread political messages, and sources of financial gain…

For me, virus writers are like vandals. They make computer viruses to cripple a computer or a network just as a vandal vandalizes to destroy another’s property. Perhaps it makes them feel great and superior. Or maybe, they do it as a punishment for somebody or something they hate.

Of course, there’s always the issue of money. Viruses can be used to steal personal information like credit numbers, social security and email addresses. People who do this can profit by selling information to criminals and hackers who pays them. It is a business.

A simple explanation could be that some people are just bored and enjoy making others’ lives miserable. This is sad.

P.S. My computer is okay now. No worms, no viruses… just some bad sectors. Now I made sure I have back-ups for all my files!

- Glaisa PO
(entry no. 10)