| Services that offer online virus removal are becoming | | | | A. If you think about it, your personal information is no |
| very popular. These online services claim to be able to | | | | more at risk than when you take your PC to a shop |
| completely clean viruses from a PC as long as the | | | | and drop it off for repair. Technicians at a repair shop |
| end user has a working internet connection. Repairs | | | | have full access to your personal data while they are |
| are performed by a computer technician who logs on | | | | in possession of your computer. At least with an online |
| to a user's computer from a remote location and | | | | service, your computer never leaves your home (or |
| removes malware as though he was sitting right in | | | | place of business) and you can see what the |
| front of his customer's PC. Many people, though are | | | | technician is doing on your computer the whole time |
| reluctant to use these services because they are | | | | he's logged on. |
| worried about the security risks of letting a stranger | | | | Q. Can The Technician log back into my computer |
| have remote access to their computer. I think that this | | | | anytime he wants? |
| fear is mostly due to a lack of understanding of how | | | | A. To avoid this possibility, make sure you use a |
| such services work, so in this article we'll try to answer | | | | service that utilizes "session-based" remote access. |
| a few questions you may have on the subject and | | | | This means that the web application used for remote |
| help you decide if online virus removal services are | | | | access to your computer is automatically removed |
| really all that risky. | | | | when you terminate the session. The session is |
| First, a little background. Even though online PC repair | | | | initiated by the end customer (you) by using a PIN |
| services are gaining popularity in the private sector, | | | | number provided by the technician. When the session |
| they really aren't a new thing. If you have worked in a | | | | is over, the tech can only get back into your PC by |
| corporate environment in the past twenty years or so, | | | | starting a new session which only you can do with a |
| you've probably had to call the IT helpdesk on | | | | new PIN number. A good example of session-based" |
| occasion. Many times the helpdesk personnel would | | | | access is Go-To-Express by Citrix®. |
| just log on to your workstation remotely and fix | | | | Q. What about identity theft? Could the technician steal |
| whatever problem you were experiencing. In the early | | | | information from my computer? |
| days of corporate networks, it became cost effective | | | | A. Again, I think it's a matter of common sense. You |
| to set up an in-house helpdesk as part of the | | | | don't think twice about handing your credit card to the |
| company network. Instead of running around from | | | | waiter at the restaurant after dinner. You have only |
| office to office (or city to city, in some cases), it was | | | | known this person for an hour or so and you let him |
| much more efficient to keep their IT personnel centrally | | | | disappear around the corner with your card. But, |
| located and simply remote into an employee's | | | | because you're comfortable that the restaurant owner |
| workstation when there was a problem. | | | | is established and probably hires honest employees, |
| Over time, this produced an industry of helpdesk | | | | you are willing to take that risk without much worry. |
| contract services and many large companies started | | | | Same thing when dealing with online services. Follow |
| outsourcing their IT service needs to third parties in | | | | your instincts. If, after looking into their company you |
| favor of maintaining an in-house staff of computer | | | | feel that they are reputable, then you are probably |
| technicians. In recent years, competition in the market | | | | safe. |
| and advancement of new technologies have brought | | | | Here are some general tips for choosing which online |
| the price point down on the remote technologies used | | | | service to do business with: |
| by these large helpdesk services. Many companies | | | | 1. Check their reputation. Go to Google and type in the |
| such as Citrix® have recently started offering their | | | | name of the company. If they have a bad reputation, |
| remote software at prices that even small computer | | | | you will find out about it quickly. |
| repair businesses can afford. As a result of the | | | | 2. Make sure they have a written guarantee that you |
| growing availability of remote access technology at | | | | feel is acceptable. |
| affordable prices, we've seen an explosion of | | | | 3. Read the Terms of Service on their website and |
| "personal helpdesk" services being offered to both | | | | make sure you understand them. If they don't post the |
| small businesses and individual users alike. | | | | TOS on their website or make it difficult to find, avoid |
| If you are worried about the security implications of | | | | using their service. |
| using an online virus removal service to clean malware | | | | 4. Get recommendations from people in the computer |
| from your computer, you really just need to apply | | | | industry. Reviews and articles on service companies |
| common sense. Base your decision on whether to do | | | | can give you a lot of insight. My personal pick for online |
| business with one of these services on the same | | | | malware removal is called "The Virus Removal Pro" |
| criteria that you apply to other situations. Here are | | | | (just Google It). They meet all of the criteria that I've |
| some common concerns in a Q & A format: | | | | talked about in this article and more. If you want to find |
| Q. How do I know that my personal information is safe | | | | a good online service, give them a try. |
| when letting a stranger log onto my PC? | | | | |