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Malware

 

 

Now What???

 

A lot off people think every kind of malware is a “virus”, but that isn’t accurate. You may have heard some other terms: worm, trojan, rootkit, keylogger, spyware, adware. These terms have made their way into everyday conversations and news about internet security issues. Understanding them isn't just for geeks, they will help you understand what risks you may incur. 

Below are short discriptions of most types. 

 

Malware

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

Malware, short for malicious software, is any software used to disrupt computer operation, gather sensitive information, or gain access to private computer systems. It can appear in the form of executable code, scripts, active content, and other software. 'Malware' is a general term used to refer to a variety of forms of hostile or intrusive software. The term badware is sometimes used, and applied to both true (malicious) malware and unintentionally harmful software. Read More

 

Malware - short for “malicious software” and refers to all unwanted, aggravating and harmful software.

Virus – just like it's namesake it infects, reproduces and spreads by sharing files but it requires human action.

Worm – unlike virus, worms, once introduced into a network can spread on their own.

Trojan - malware that disguises itself as a legitimate file that provides a backdoor or carries a malicious payload.

Spyware - malicious software that spies on you without your knowledge. It collects data for a variety of purposes.

Adware - often comes along with spyware. It’s a software that displays advertising other than legitimate ads.

Keylogger - malware that runs in the background, recording all keystrokes you make, including usernames, passwords.

Botnet - is a network of computers that are under the botnet creator’s control.

Rootkit – malware designed to bury deep in a computer to avoid detection by security programs.

Ransomware - holds your computer or files hostage and demands a ransom payment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I divide malware (malicious software) into two categories, harmful and aggravating although they can blend.  Most of our aggravating pc intrusions are ‘adware’ and ‘spyware’ that aren’t harmful or destructive. We get them by clicking on something we believe is safe, be very careful when updating Java, Active-X and Adobe Reader. The majority of green ‘DOWNLOAD’ buttons I see while surfing are ads for some software that will improve your pc’s performance, like ‘driver updates’.

These pc ‘improvement’ and other downloads are frequently ‘bundled’ with many, many other little programs that cause pop up ads and hijack you browsers. Because they are generally not harmful, and you “invited them in”, the big Antivirus guys don’t waste time and resources on them. We have to deal with these with separate anti-malware software. Although some do carry malicious harmful payloads, the antivirus softwares are expected to catch these.

 

All the good Anti-virus programs will recognize an attempted infection by harmful malware and stop it 99.99% of the time, if they are kept up to date (we strongly recommend setting them to auto-update). This includes known Viruses, Worms, Trojans, Botnets, Rootkits and Ransomware that are harmful.

 

Mike Thornton

 

For more detailed malware descriptions, go to:

So?   What to do?

Prevention:

Cybersecurity 101

Posted by Nate Lord/ Veracode 2012

Malware Prevention and Removal

There are several general best practices that organizations and individual users should follow to prevent malware infections. Some malware cases require special prevention and treatment methods, but following these recommendations will greatly increase a user’s protection from a wide range of malware:

  • Install and run anti-malware and firewall software. When selecting software, choose a program that offers tools for detecting, quarantining, and removing multiple types of malware. At the minimum, anti-malware software should protect against viruses, spyware, adware, Trojans, and worms. The combination of anti-malware software and a firewall will ensure that all incoming and existing data gets scanned for malware and that malware can be safely removed once detected.

  • Keep software and operating systems up to date with current vulnerability patches. These patches are often released to patch bugs or other security flaws that could be exploited by attackers.

  • Be vigilant when downloading files, programs, attachments, etc. Downloads that seem strange or are from an unfamiliar source often contain malware.

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