See also • What is? • The Usual Suspects • What to do •
In many cases spyware applications are harmless marketing research tools. However, if you allow one piece of spyware into your computer you may well be setting yourself up for a future flood of the unwanted critters.
You could justify tracking down and destroying spyware purely in terms of efficiency: because they're clandestine applications, spyware effectively steals your hard disk space and memory, creating performance issues. The software programs are also often poorly written, which can cause computer crashes.
The second category and more insidious types of spyware fall under the realm of PC surveillance tools. Users can monitor all sorts of activity on a PC, capturing keystrokes, taking periodic snapshots, logging e‑mail and chat, as well as making a record of all visited Web sites. These tools have their rightful place in a virtual world that exploits the vulnerable. However, such tools can seriously violate your privacy if they fall into the wrong hands.
WHAT ARE MALWARE, SPYWARE AND ADWARE?
Microsoft defines malware as software applications, such as viruses, spyware, and adware, which are specifically designed to damage or disrupt a user’s system. Computer industry analysts estimate that viruses alone inflict more than 55 billion dollars of damage each year.
Spyware fails into two categories. The most common type is hidden programs embedded in larger apps that report information to advertisers, thus the name adware. This sort of spyware is included in some shareware and freeware packages because, unfortunately, that's the only way some software developers can pay the bills.
In many cases spyware applications are harmless marketing research tools. However, if you allow one piece of spyware into your computer you may well be setting yourself up for a future flood of the unwanted critters.
You could justify tracking down and destroying spyware purely in terms of efficiency: because they're clandestine applications, spyware effectively steals your hard disk space and memory, creating performance issues. The software programs are also often poorly written, which can cause computer crashes.
The second category and more insidious types of spyware fall under the realm of PC surveillance tools. Users can monitor all sorts of activity on a PC, capturing keystrokes, taking periodic snapshots, logging e‑mail and chat, as well as making a record of all visited Web sites. These tools have their rightful place in a virtual world that exploits the vulnerable. However, such tools can seriously violate your privacy if they fall into the wrong hands.
Viruses
Computer viruses are so named because they operate a lot like human viruses. To spread from computer to computer, they attach themselves to popular programs or document files, which then carry the virus to the next computer via a floppy disk, e-mail, a peer-to-peer network or some other small action by the user. Viruses are created for a variety of reasons – some outright malicious and others seemingly bizarre – and the damage they are designed to cause varies greatly. Past viruses have been designed to imbed malicious programs that spy on users or steal their identity, use personal computers to attack other systems and use your e-mail address book to unwittingly infect the computers of friends. Viruses can spread quite rapidly, although keeping security software up-to-date offers a notable measure of protection.
Computer viruses are so named because they operate a lot like human viruses. To spread from computer to computer, they attach themselves to popular programs or document files, which then carry the virus to the next computer via a floppy disk, e-mail, a peer-to-peer network or some other small action by the user. Viruses are created for a variety of reasons – some outright malicious and others seemingly bizarre – and the damage they are designed to cause varies greatly. Past viruses have been designed to imbed malicious programs that spy on users or steal their identity, use personal computers to attack other systems and use your e-mail address book to unwittingly infect the computers of friends. Viruses can spread quite rapidly, although keeping security software up-to-date offers a notable measure of protection.
Worms
Worms are similar to viruses, with one key distinction: they duplicate and spread from computer to computer without the need to be attached to other programs. For this reason they can spread even faster, searching out vulnerable networks and machines and doing all of the work on their own. They are sometimes written by hackers who want to expose flaws in operating systems, like Windows, that allow this to happen; therefore, the protection against them often involves installing a security patch. Because worms go on the hunt in this way, they often create traffic slowdowns on the Internet, as the worm seeks other victims by sending out thousands of probes a second, saturating Internet data pipelines. This is in addition to whatever other damage the worm is programmed to cause.
Worms are similar to viruses, with one key distinction: they duplicate and spread from computer to computer without the need to be attached to other programs. For this reason they can spread even faster, searching out vulnerable networks and machines and doing all of the work on their own. They are sometimes written by hackers who want to expose flaws in operating systems, like Windows, that allow this to happen; therefore, the protection against them often involves installing a security patch. Because worms go on the hunt in this way, they often create traffic slowdowns on the Internet, as the worm seeks other victims by sending out thousands of probes a second, saturating Internet data pipelines. This is in addition to whatever other damage the worm is programmed to cause.
Trojan Horses
These are damaging programs that encourage the user to run them by disguising themselves as legitimate software or other files, like songs or movies. According to the Network Associates security site, they are not technically viruses because they do not replicate. However, a Trojan horse may contain a virus or a worm once it's opened. The name comes from the Trojan war, when a hollow wooden horse was filled with Greek soldiers in a sneak attack.
These are damaging programs that encourage the user to run them by disguising themselves as legitimate software or other files, like songs or movies. According to the Network Associates security site, they are not technically viruses because they do not replicate. However, a Trojan horse may contain a virus or a worm once it's opened. The name comes from the Trojan war, when a hollow wooden horse was filled with Greek soldiers in a sneak attack.
Back Doors
A feature built into a computer program that gives special access or privileges. Programmers sometimes build back doors so they can fix unforeseen bugs in programs. Hackers can seize upon them for malicious purposes.
A feature built into a computer program that gives special access or privileges. Programmers sometimes build back doors so they can fix unforeseen bugs in programs. Hackers can seize upon them for malicious purposes.
Hoaxes
As awareness of computer viruses grows, so does the number of false e-mail warnings. Sometimes virus hoaxes are spread unintentionally, by people trying to be helpful. But they can be a real annoyance, taking up server space and clogging Internet traffic. They can also result in cases of "the boy who cried wolf," reducing people's vigilance in regard to real threats.
As awareness of computer viruses grows, so does the number of false e-mail warnings. Sometimes virus hoaxes are spread unintentionally, by people trying to be helpful. But they can be a real annoyance, taking up server space and clogging Internet traffic. They can also result in cases of "the boy who cried wolf," reducing people's vigilance in regard to real threats.
Executable Files
Unlike, for example, a document you might simply open and read, when you double click on an executable file it automatically runs a program on your computer. Viruses are often spread through executable files, and computer users should think twice before opening files with the extensions ".exe," ".com," and ".vbs" at the end.
Unlike, for example, a document you might simply open and read, when you double click on an executable file it automatically runs a program on your computer. Viruses are often spread through executable files, and computer users should think twice before opening files with the extensions ".exe," ".com," and ".vbs" at the end.
.COM Files
Another type of executable file that carries a command for your computer to do something is a .com file. These are like ".exe" files but smaller and faster, and are also used to spread viruses, so users should be wary of opening anything with the ".com" extension.
Another type of executable file that carries a command for your computer to do something is a .com file. These are like ".exe" files but smaller and faster, and are also used to spread viruses, so users should be wary of opening anything with the ".com" extension.
.VBS Files
Visual Basic Scripting is a computer programming language that can tell your computer to perform certain tasks. For example, a .vbs file might tell your e-mail program to send out a virus to everyone in your address book. These are executable files and carry the extension ".vbs." They should be treated with caution.
Visual Basic Scripting is a computer programming language that can tell your computer to perform certain tasks. For example, a .vbs file might tell your e-mail program to send out a virus to everyone in your address book. These are executable files and carry the extension ".vbs." They should be treated with caution.