Know Your Threats.

Protect Yourself From Malicious Malware.

Malware

The word malware is short for malicious software and is a general term used to describe all of the viruses, worms, spyware, and pretty much anything that is specifically designed to cause harm to your PC or to steal your information.

Viruses

The term computer virus is often used interchangeably with malware, though the two don’t actually have the same meaning. In the strictest sense, a virus is a program that copies itself and infects a PC, spreading from one file to another, and then from one PC to another when the files are copied or shared.

You can protect yourself from viruses by making certain your antivirus application is always updated with the latest definitions and avoiding suspicious looking files coming through email. Pay special attention to the filename - if the file is supposed to be an mp3, and the name ends in .mp3.exe, you’re dealing with a virus.

Spyware

Spyware is any software installed on your PC that collects your information without your knowledge and sends that information back to the creator so they can use your personal information in some nefarious way. This could include keylogging to learn your passwords, watching your search habits, changing out your browser home and search pages, adding obnoxious browser toolbars, or just stealing your passwords and credit card numbers.

What many people don’t realize about spyware is that not every antivirus software is designed to catch spyware. You should check with the vendor to make sure the application you are using to protect you from malware is actually checking for spyware as well. If you come across a PC that is already heavily infected, run a combination of MalwareBytes and SuperAntiSpyware to clean it thoroughly.

Scareware

Scareware is a relatively new type of attack, where a user is tricked into downloading what appears to be an antivirus application, which then proceeds to tell you that your PC is infected with hundreds of viruses, and can only be cleaned if you pay for a full license. Of course, these scareware applications are nothing more than malware that holds your PC hostage until you pay the ransom - in most cases, you can’t uninstall them or even use the PC.

If you manage to come across a PC infected with one of these, your best bet is to Google the name of the virus and find specific instructions on how to remove it, but the steps are usually the same - run a combination of MalwareBytes, SuperAntiSpyware, and maybe ComboFix if you need too.

Trojan

Trojan Horses are applications that look like they are doing something innocuous, but secretly have malicious code that does something else. in many cases, Trojan will create a backdoor that allows your PC to be remotely controlled, either directly or as part of a botnet - a network of computers also infected with a trojan or other malicious software. the major difference between a virus and a Trojan is that Trojans don’t replicate themselves - they must be installed by an unwitting user.

Once your PC has been infected with the Trojan, it can be used for any number of nefarious purposes, like a denial of service (DoS) attack against a website, a proxy server for concealing attacks, or even worse - for sending out buckets of spam. Protection against Trojans works the same way as viruses - make sure that your antivirus application is up to date, don’t open suspicious attachments, and think long and hard before you try and use a downloaded crack for Photoshop.

Worms

Computer worms use the network to send copies of themselves to other PCs, usually utilizing a security hole to travel from one host to the next, often automatically without user intervention. Because they can spread so rapidly across a network, infecting every PC in their path, they tend to be the most well-known type of malware, although many users still mistakenly refer to them as viruses.

Some of the most famous worms include the ILOVEYOU worm, transmitted as an email attachment, which cost businesses upwards of $5.5 billion in damage. The Code Red worm defaced 359,000 web sites, SQL Slammer slowed down the entire internet for a brief period of time, and the Blaster worm would force your PC to reboot repeatedly.

Because worms often exploit a network vulnerability, they are the one type of malware that can be [artially prevented by making sure your firewall is enabled and locked down - you’ll still need updated antivirus software, of course.

Check out these best cybersecurity practices: 4 Reasons Why Cybersecurity Is More Important Than Ever

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