Certified Internet Web (CIW) Professional Practice Exam

If you encounter a virus and your anti-virus software cannot run, what should you do?

1. Let the virus run its course.

2. Plug in your backup drive to try to initiate an immediate backup of important files.

3. Turn off your computer and reboot from a known, clean system disk.

4. Call your local authorities to report an identity theft.

The correct answer is: Turn off your computer and reboot from a known, clean system disk.

Turning off your computer and rebooting from a known, clean system disk is a prudent action when facing a situation where a virus has compromised your system and your anti-virus software is unable to run. This approach allows you to bypass the potentially infected operating system, preventing the virus from executing further and causing additional damage. By rebooting from a clean disk, you can access a safe environment where you can further assess the situation, scan for viruses using trusted software, and possibly restore your system to a previous state before the infection occurred. This option is particularly effective because it provides a means to regain control over your machine without further risking exposure to the virus. It is essential to have a recent backup or restoration disk available to ensure that you can recover your system without bringing back the virus. The other options may lead to further complications or damage. Allowing the virus to run its course can lead to extensive data loss or system corruption. Plugging in a backup drive in an attempt to save important files without a clean environment could risk transferring the infection to the backup. Reporting identity theft to authorities is important but does not address the immediate issue of dealing with a virus that is affecting your system. Thus, restarting with a clean system disk is the best action to mitigate further