Thank you to IT Training at Indiana University Computer Malware

Malware: There are hundreds of malicious programs that can cause damage to your computer and information on your computer. They can also slow down your machine, and they might even use your computer to spread themselves to your friends, family, co-workers, and the rest of the Web. The good news is that with an ounce of prevention and some good common sense, you are less likely to fall victim to these threats.

Malware is… Computer viruses Worms Trojan horses Rootkits Spyware Keyloggers Dialers, ransomware, adware, malicious BHOs, rogue security

Virus A virus is a piece of computer code that attaches itself to a computer program. When a computer runs the infected program, the virus launches and embeds itself in the computer’s memory. It then looks for other programs or files to which it can attach. This process repeats each time an infected program launches. A trigger activates the virus, which may be a date or the number of times a virus replicates itself, resulting in damaged software or computer files. viruses may find an individual’s address book and send copies of an infected document to everyone listed. Virus Video

Worms Worms usually exploits some sort of security hole in a piece of software or the operating system. Worms normally move around and infect other machines through computer networks Unlike viruses, worms exist as separate entities; they do not attach themselves to other files or programs.

Trojan Horse Named after the wooden horse the Greeks used to infiltrate Troy, a Trojan Horse is a program that appears to be useful software, but instead it compromises your security and causes a lot of damage. Once it is downloaded and executed, the malicious code begins to work. The difference between Trojan Horses and viruses is that Trojan Horses do not replicate or spread on their own. They can only be transmitted intentionally via or disk, or downloaded directly onto a PC. Many Trojan Horses are designed to steal your login ID and password and then them to someone else who can make use of the account at your expense. Other Trojan Horses can display obscene messages or delete the contents of your hard drive.

How they Spread: From external media such as CDs, From vulnerabilities in Windows programs, From downloads off the Internet or bulletin boards, From browsing infected Internet sites, From using Instant Messaging From attachments.

What to look for: It’s not always easy to tell if your computer has been compromised. More than ever before, the authors of viruses, worms, Trojans and spyware are going to great lengths to hide their code and conceal what their programs are doing on an infected computer. It’s very difficult to provide a list of characteristic symptoms of a compromised computer because the same symptoms can also be caused by hardware and/or software problems

What to look for: Your computer behaves strangely, i.e. in a way that you haven’t seen before. You see unexpected messages or images. You hear unexpected sounds, played at random. Programs start unexpectedly. Your personal firewall tells you that an application has tried to connect to the Internet (and it’s not a program that you ran). Your web browser behaves erratically, e.g. you can’t close a browser window

What to look for: Your friends tell you that they have received messages from your address and you haven’t sent them anything. Your computer ‘freezes’ frequently, or programs start running slowly. You get lots of system error messages. The operating system will not load when you start your computer. You notice that files or folders have been deleted or changed.

Protecting against Malware: Software such as anti-virus, anti- malware, and firewalls are relied upon by users at home, small and large organizations around the globe to safeguard against malware attacks.

How to Protect Yourself: DO’s:Don’ts Keep your operating system current Install antivirus (virus detection) software & Update often Handle attachments wisely Backup files regularly Open a suspicious attachment Open any attachment that ends in.exe,.vbs, or.lnk

Firewall A firewall is a system or software that controls the flow of traffic between networks and protects your computer or network from an attacker who might damage or get access to your personal information.

Firewall D OES N OT Detect or disable computer viruses and worms if they are already on your computer. However, it will help block computer viruses and worms from reaching your computer. Stop you from opening with dangerous attachments. Block spam or unsolicited from appearing in your inbox.