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PC viruses, worms, Trojan horses, root kits, spyware, adware, dishonest adware, crime ware, gray ware etc... What’s going on?
Do you remember the good old days when anti-virus software was all you needed to keep your computer protected?
So where is all this stuff coming from? It seems that every other day a new kind of malicious “ware” is born. It is certainly a task in itself just to keep up with all the new terminology.
So how can we understand these new threats and, more importantly, how do we keep our systems protected?
First, to have a good understanding here are the basics: All these different types of software or code that are designed with a malicious intent can be put under one big umbrella called “Malware”.
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Each type of malware has a different goal or objective, from stealing your data, trying to break your computer, or posing as a legitimate virus scanner. Some are just designed to annoy the heck out of you!
So now we understand what malware is: bad news.
Now, how can we get protected? There are many viable options to combat malware from the free to the more sophisticated for businesses. The main thing is to acquire protection not only from viruses, but from the other types of malware, such as spyware and adware. In addition to using these tools, the most effective defense against malware is common sense. Follow these simple suggestions:
1. Keep your computer software up to date. Not only your anti-virus software, but your operating system, internet browser and email application.
2. Don’t open suspicious emails. If you get a strange looking email message, delete it instead of opening it. If a message, even a normal looking one, has an attachment you were not expecting to receive, don’t click on it to see what it is, check with the sender first.
3. Practice safe surfing. Don’t visit questionable sites like those with pirated software, hacker sites, or sites that promise you software keys and other ways to break the law. Use caution when visiting social networking sites, especially on business computers.
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