Protecting your
computer from
malicious software is perhaps the most important aspect of
computer ownership.
A wide range of products are available that offer
computer security. However, did you know that certain products only offer protection against a few
malicious attacks? Are you concerned that your
computer may not be fully secured? Before you take the necessary measures of securing your
computer, you should understand the different types of attacks that could harm your machine.
What is
Malware?
Malicious software (malware) is the wide range of software applications developed with a
malicious intent. The methods used for
malware installation is unlike any other software installation you are accustomed to because
malware is installed through devious means. People often use the terms
virus and
malware interchangeably. However, a
virus is a type of
malware. Other major
malware types include:
Virus
A
virus contains
malicious code that attaches itself to an application. When the
infected application is executed, the
virus is launched and will attempt to spread to other computers. A
virus typically will not cause immediate damage as it needs time to replicate in order to infect other computers. Eventually, the
virus will deliver its payload. The payload can cause significant damage such as deletion of critical system files, random reboots of your
computer, and can corrupt hard drives and make them unbootable.
Viruses are delivered to systems in a variety of ways. Email is the most common method for spreading
viruses. For example, spammers will email
viruses as attachments and will entice users to download and open the attachment, which in turn will execute the
virus. Users can also transmit
viruses by using
infected USB flash drives. Most operating systems have Autorun enabled, which enable
infected USB flash drives to execute the
virus as soon as the device is plugged into the machine.
Trojan Horse
Trojan horses trick users by posing as legitimate applications. For example, a
Trojan horse may appear to be a game or a screensaver. A deceived user will download the application and the
Trojan horse is released once the user executes the program.
Worms
Unlike
viruses and
Trojan horses,
worms do not need to be executed.
Worms reside within memory and can travel throughout a network without depending on an
infected computer application or interaction.
Worms replicate themselves exponentially and can literally crash networks by consuming its bandwidth.
Spyware
Spyware is installed on a machine without the user’s awareness or consent.
Spyware attempts to gather specific user information and send it to a third party. You can determine if your
computer is
infected with
spyware if your Internet home page has suddenly changed, if your web browser redirects web searches, or if additional software has been installed on your machine. Another form of
spyware is adware. Adware launches pop-up windows to display unwanted advertisements.
Logic Bombs
A logic bomb is
malicious code embedded within an application that executes based on certain events. The logic bomb lies dormant until that event occurs. The event may be when a specific date is reached or if an employee’s record is removed from an organization’s payroll information system.
Rootkits
A rootkit is the combination of programs designed to infect your
computer without being detected. Your antivirus application communicates with your operating system to identify threats. However, rootkits breaks down this communication process. Consequently, your antivirus software will think that everything is fine and will not report that your
computer is
infected.
You can find security tools that will protect your
computer from the above threats. In most cases, one tool is not enough. You may need to use a combination of utilities to fully project your system. Understanding the major types of
malware can help you make informed decisions about acquiring tools to project your
computer.
