Many people don’t actually know what malware is, but it is a word that has become so common in this digital age. In this blog, we will attempt to explain what malware is, its specifics, its types, and its symptoms.
What is Malware?
Malware is a term for different types of malicious software such as viruses, adware, and spyware. It can be a file or code that is designed to cause damage to a computer or a network. It can also replicate itself. This means that a program will install a virus, a worm, or Trojan on your computer. Such programs can seriously affect the privacy and security of a computer. For instance, malware can provide access to your data to third parties for advertising purposes without your consent.
Malware specifics:
- It is difficult to remove
- It is hidden on a computer
- It might be necessary to reinstall an operating system to remove the malware
- It is a threat to a computer privacy
- Information such as browsing history, computer’s IP address, personal identification information is collected
- It is a threat to a computer security
- It makes the computer more vulnerable to viruses
Types of Malware
It is important to be aware of such threats and be able to suspend them in time. Here we provided some examples of different kinds of malware.
Viruses
It is the most destructive form of malware. It can erase data on a computer, hijack a computer, send spam or share illegal content.
Misleading applications
It deceives the user about the true security state of a computer. It misinforms the users that a tool should be downloaded to remove a threat from a computer. When downloading, it asks for personal information and credentials.
Spyware
It is a program installed on a computer to collect personal information such as browsing history, computer’s IP address, and personal identification information. It can also download other malicious programs.
Adware
It is a software application where advertising is displayed as a pop-up ad during other programs being active on a computer. It can be automatically downloaded when browsing a website. It is used for marketing purposes.
Cookies
It is plain text that is stored on a computer and collects data about the browsing sessions. Hackers and companies use cookies to access personal information such as credentials, credit card details, and the like – intent is critical here, as some cookies are necessary to make websites work, while others are poorly designed (and abused by hackers) or just plain bad.
Spam
It is a method of flooding the Internet with copies of the same message. Most of the time it is in the form of marketing emails.
How harmful is Malware?
Here are the important signs to keep an eye on a computer to track its performance. Let’s cover some most common symptoms a computer might have if infected.
- Browser closes unexpectedly
- Browser stops responding
- New toolbars appear
- Internet connection stops unexpectedly
- The application does not open
- New icons appear
- Ads pop up when the browser is closed
Thank you for reading. We are always excited when our posts are able to provide useful information on a topic like this!
We hope you enjoyed our blog. If you have questions about cyber security, contact us today.
