The Behrend beacon. (Erie, Pa.) 1998-current, February 24, 2006, Image 6

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    6 I The Behrend Beacon
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ILL.'i2ple 3•110 coma IWL„,
Al Q ue d t e d
of Ad
obe involvement
By Jerry Pohl freezes your network or internet brows- better for printing and other such r" ---
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humor editor er. When this occurs you must use ctrl- nonsense...
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jbp 153 @ psu.edu alt-del to access the system manager and Anyone with a computer knows • •
close the program the PDF virus file is that text documents have the exten- .
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The American people are not safe! originating from. sion dot doc and open with Microsoft . . •
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Danger threatens all Americans in In cases involving the Adobe Acrobat Word, a software program compatible
America. even as you read this. The Reader, you will most likely have to with all versions of Windows that ••,..- .-::-..,:.‘...::;•:•
most un-American thing about this is click a pop-up prompt window to escape comes free with any computer.
that it's Americans, right here in the virus's effects as well. Under no cir- Someone needs to do something:
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America, who are putting every cumstance should you select that the about these PDF fanatics and show
American in America at risk. prompt open the file or update itself. You them the way of Word. Kills PDFs Dead
Americans born in America too often should close the file without updating Some people have even managed
take their American liberty for granted. and then remove the Adobe software to open PDF files as though they
These Americans forget that our from your computer. were text documents. This is where
American freedom can only exist in If this happens to you, be wise and the intricacy of the virus can be seen. VA, !lIIL
America if all Americans are constantly learn to recognize links to the PDF virus At a glance it might appear to the , ..3 ......,
vigilant for America. To survive, so you can avoid them in the future. If untrained eye to be a text document; ..,
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America must wake up and Americans you hover your cursor over the link, the however. upon trying to do anything . - .1i• . - . 405
must protect their American heritage for bottom left of the browser window with the document, it becomes clear:
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the sake of the future of America, and of should display the destination. If the des- that this is just a distraction put on 1
all Americans. tination display ends in dot PDF do not your screen while the virus infiltrates :- • •
America today is more dependant than click the link, and report it to the com- your system. • New W PDFSioaliod .. _.:,,,,:
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ever on computers, and this is where the pater center immediately. If what could be seen on the screen • ~, ':;:-- :'--• '-- :',-• ..,,..
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greatest menace to American security Links that lead to PDF files should be were in fact a text document, it would ,„:•.:4:::::.. • • '
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lies. A terrible computer virus is infect- properly labeled with warnings so that he possible to scroll through it and ••• # .:...•,-., ..... : . . • `•
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ing systems across America. Statistically fewer students unwittingly click links to copy/paste some of the text. This is ;,:' l t - ;! . .!; .. 1,: :
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even your computer is probably already the virus. In addition, clicking the link not possible; it is not even possible to .•.'•-• t ::., '..'• : •. - . ••. !:•-•::: •
infected. should cause a window to appear warn- highlight text within the faux docu- • ••• ..-'.• '4-- ••• . . • . ,:••::•• ..:• Sure. they may seem
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The deadly virus hiding unseen on ing of the impending danger before the ment face of the virus. •.„ • ~.f.., • .-- . • , • • •,.,.....
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your hard drive is, of course, the dreaded virus activates. To further the protection. Some links may try to fool you by .. 'V.'•:.• • • ••:•. ••• :•
• 4 . '-''...- .: •. . • • - but they're ready
PDF file. PDF is a file extension nota- a password should have to be typed in, telling you to click on the link and fill •:.. ,::1•••-: •-:::..,•:•:-: • '..'• .
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tion that indicates a given file is the and the user should have to be in safe out the document it connects to. One • -- .• ~..... '
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virus. This file is not just carrying the mode. cannot fill out a PDF file; it's a solid t• :..-...., '
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virus as you might assume; it is the virus. In many cases, the PDF virus will wall of impenetrable, unmanageable i...'. .• •
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Your computer may have a program completely freeze your computer. When text. Its only purpose is to disguise ' ;'''T'Y• •:• ••:•...: •• • •,.:-..:•: '-....•1:,;j:•-• ••••, • • •:.••••• i before they get tid
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known as Adobe Acrobat Reader. This this happens, it is unlikely you will he the virus. Using a PDF file is like try- •. • - .. ' of you with Morton
program makes your computer more sus- able to access any window or the start ing to drink ice that never melts. ••• •• •-•••-• , - • ••: : •".!•'4%W.71r- ',- • - . - --- 1 Antivirus 200$:
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ceptible to the virus; it even worsens the menu. Even ctrl-alt-del may not work in Word documents are like champagne; :' • P T. , •'...,, .:: , • • . '•••••,•;•;:,1•14•1 -•:. -
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effects to your computer with pop-ups this scenario. In some cases involving they are liquid and drinkable and
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and prompts that can wreak havoc on notebook computers, even pressing the much better than PDF files. :.; ,-,... • • , ~. •• ,IS- -` •. :.,: , •':.....:i. : ..: - .. ... ' . ::: ~.. • ? .1.: : •*.•
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your system. power button or unplugging the comput- The virus's main weakness is the '.:•-•:: _:,."-•:•i':•!1-':•.:':.: :.•..:.,',..:,...••• ”, -:•....„: .:,--.- v•••• , - •• ' •
It's all too easy for your computer to er will not do the job. When this occurs lethargy with which it infects your ' •-•'' : Daniel James Dombrowski/THE BEHREND BEACOI
contract the PDF virus. Many internet the battery must he removed from the computer. The virus rarely completes
links on various sites including Google computer to shut it down. its own installation on your system. This crash your computer, causing you to lose
and the Penn State Erie site instantly Strange as it may seem, there are peo- is why most of the problems caused by data and have to wait for your computer
open PDF virus files on your browser. ple who are actually in support of PDF. the PDF virus are only temporary; the to start up again. Avoiding the PDF virus
That's right; the webpages of this very These obviously computer illiterate virus damages your computer so much is something we can easily do if we all
college are strewn with links connecting fools have fallen for the cult-like myth that it can't fully install itself and cause work together and shun those foolish
directly to the PDF virus. that PDF is a document format used further harm to you hard drive. enough to willingly allow the virus to
In a lucky few cases, the virus merely often for text. They say PDF files are In the worst of cases, the virus can infiltrate their system.
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THE BEHREND BEACON
Friday, February 24, 2006
The worst criminals of all, are those
who create PDF virus files and publish
them on the internet or local network.
These are the people who must be
stopped. It goes without saying that if
you use PDF files, you're kind of a ter
rorist.
:Eric Bell s '
!
i 3.
Beacon staff
joke of the week
"At least I have
something you'll
never have!
And freckles!"
- Conan O'Brien
The
EnEe!MIIEllEllEllEllEllEllEllEIE1
A soul!