However convenient this might be, unfortunately, AutoRun also opens a huge door for viruses, Trojan horses, and worms. This tells your computer to launch a setup program as soon as the CD is inserted into the drive. If found, Windows executes the instructions in that file.įor example, an autorun.inf file on a CD might contain a line that reads open=setup.exe. When a disc is inserted or a drive is connected to your system, Windows looks in the root directory of the new disc or drive for a file named autorun.inf. (In some cases, the action doesn’t occur until you double-click the flash drive icon in Windows Explorer.) This is what causes an installer window to pop up when you insert a software disc into your CD or DVD drive, for example, or makes a pop-up menu icon appear in the taskbar tray when you insert a USB flash drive.
These functions are designed to launch applications automatically from a external device containing the necessary AutoRun information. Unfortunately, simply turning off AutoPlay, a separate feature, isn’t enough to prevent AutoRun from introducing a rogue program into your system.ĪutoRun starts Windows programs automaticallyĮvery recent version of Windows has features known as AutoPlay and AutoRun. The AutoRun function in Windows can launch installers and other programs automatically when you insert a CD or flash drive, but this convenience poses a serious security risk. TOP STORY One quick trick prevents AutoRun attacks
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