Worms
This malicious program category largely exploits operating system vulnerabilities to spread itself. The class was named for the way the worms crawl from computer to computer, using networks and e-mail. This feature gives many worms a rather high speed in spreading themselves.
Viruses
Programs that infected other programs, adding their own code to them to gain control of the infected files when they are opened. This simple definition explains the fundamental action performed by a virus - infection.
Trojans
Programs that carry out unauthorized actions on computers, such as deleting information on drives, making the system hang, stealing confidential information, etc. This class of malicious program is not a virus in the traditional sense of the word (meaning it does not infect other computers or data). Trojans cannot break into computers on their own and are spread by hackers, who disguise them as regular software. The damage that they incur can exceed that done by traditional virus attacks by several fold.
Spyware
Software that collects information about a particular user or organization without their knowledge. You might never guess that you have spyware installed on your computer.
Riskware
Potentially dangerous applications include software that has not malicious features but could form part of the development environment for malicious programs or could be used by hackers as auxiliary components for malicious programs.
Rootkits
Utilities used to conceal malicious activity. They mask malicious programs to keep anti-virus programs from detecting them. Rootkits modify the operating system on the computer and alter its basic functions to hide its own existence and actions that the hacker undertakes on the infected computer.
Sources of Threats
A person, a group of people, or even some phenomena unrelated to human activity can serve as an information security threat. Following from this, all threat sources break down into three groups:
The human factor. This group of threats concerns the actions of people with authorized or unauthorized access to information. Threats in this group can be divided into:
- External, including cyber criminals, hackers, internet scams, unprincipled partners, and criminal structures.
- Internal, including actions of company staff and users of home PCs. Actions taken by this group could be deliberate or accidental.
The natural-disaster factor. This threat group includes any number of events brought on by nature and other events independent of human activity.
How threats spread
As modern computer technology and communications tools develop, hackers have more opportunities for spreading threats. Let's take a closer look at them:
- The Internet
The Internet is unique, since it is no one's property and has no geographical borders. In many ways, this has promoted development of countless web resources and the exchange of information. Today, anyone can access data on the Internet or create their own webpage.
However, these very features of the worldwide web give hackers the ability to commit crimes on the Internet, making them difficult to detect and punish as they go.
- USB flash drives
USB flash drives are widely used for storing and transmitting information.
When you use a USB disk that has malicious programs on it, you can damage data stored on your computer and spread the virus to your computer's other drives or other computers on the network.
Tips to protect yourself from malware
Be mindful of what you are clicking on
Many websites that hosts harmful content will use banners and pop up advertisements, pretending to be an error messages or offering you a prize. When you visit these sites harmful content is downloaded into your computer. Avoid being tempted in the first place.
Be aware of what you are downloading
Don’t download software from a website that’s full of advertisements, or listings of ‘free’ programs, these are often fake files. Be cautious and question them, scan them with security software prior to opening or only download programs from reputable or corporate websites.
Purchase security software
Many users are not aware that using pirated software can not protect user' computer against threats and the pirated software from unauthorized third parties may contain viruses.
Be careful before you open your removable media
Many malicious programs attack your computers and spread via USB storage. USB Disk Security can protect your computer against any threats via removable media.
Update Windows when prompted
Microsoft release updates for Windows regularly. They include important security patches and tools. Install them when prompted to patch up security gaps in your operating system, browser or third party software.
Take extra care when using Peer-To-Peer programs
Since files shared on P2P networks are not policed. Anyone can release anything they want via this medium. As such get into the habit of scanning the files you downloaded before running/executing them.
Accept incoming files when you expect them and from people that you know
Some threats have the ability to infect machines and automatically send copies of themselves to that user's contact list. It may appear that your friend is sending you a file but it may turn out to be a malicious program propagating itself.
Know your File Formats
Images usually come in .jpg .jpeg .png .bmp .gif .tif formats. Executables come in .exe .bat .com .dll formats. If someone says they are sending you a photo but the file ends with .exe or .com, please do not open it. They’re obviously mistaken or potentially endangering you.
Be aware of what’s happening
There are various places to seek for help and learn more about your computer. It pays to be knowledgeable on your computer, as malicious threats often take advantage of those who are unaware of what’s happening.
