How to Defend Yourself Against Top Malware Threats

For most people, internet is life. Most of us can’t live without internet, cellphones, computers, any gadgets that can be connected to the internet. We defend part of our lives to the internet whether for a living, education, banking and mostly social interactions. And by this, we expose our personal data to the very wide internet wherein sometimes unconsciously lead us in being exposed to some threats we are not even aware of. Some of us are just using sites, making an access and very unaware of the many things that can happen to our privacy. A lot of us are less educated about malware threats, hacking, and people with bad motives that are taking our innocence as an opportunity for them to take advantages with our personal data. By using a malware, they can manipulate, steal, and delete our personal information without us knowing it. And even anonymous surfing with secure VPN cannot be the only defense from stealing of your personal data. So what is a MALWARE? It means Malicious Software. These can create privacy loss, unauthorized entry and can spread as well. They bring some kind of disturbance to a computers. It affects the computer by means of:

1. Websites
2. Email
3. Physical media (ex: Flash-drive)
4. Pop up window
5. Software
6. Illegal fire sharing

Here we enlisted some of the types of Malware threats that can infect or maybe it is already doing its job in one of your devices.

Kinds of Malware

A. Virus – this requires human/user  intervention (click, download, run, or open), unless it does not have human intervention it won’t enter your system.

• Steal information
• Delete data
• Software code
• Self-replicate
• Alter data
• Passive transmission
• Can mutate
• Can send data to a 3rd Party

B. Worm – it spreads automatically, it consumes bandwidth and overload web server.

• steal information
• delete data
• self-contained software
• self-replicates alter data
• active transmission
• can mutate

Concealed Type of Malware 

A. Trojan horse – it is hidden program, you will not notice it entered your system. It can enter in installing programs.

• steal information
• can open a backdoor
• disguised as a useful program
• non self-replicating
• conscript host for bot net
• keystroke and webcam logging

B. Rootkits – concealed or hidden malware, it can harm the computer or use your computer resources or bandwidth without being detected by users or security programs.

C. Backdoors – it enters by by-pass authentication, enters directly to the system. Backdoors are much the same as Trojans or worms, except that they open a “backdoor” onto a computer, providing a network connection for hackers or other Malware to enter or for viruses or SPAM to be sent.

 

Annoying Programs or Just for Fun

1. Joke program – mouse goes reverse or joke pop up message displaying untrue messages
2. Spam – junk email
3. Virus hoax – warns of non-existent virus and ask to forward it

 

For Profit

• Adware – pop-up ads
• Botnets – network of computer controlled by third parties
• Ransomware – also called as “wanna cry”. It demands money for your system to be unencrypted
• Advance fee fraud – offers by email
• Spyware –  it is a software that spies on you, tracking your internet activities in order to send advertising (Adware) back to your system.
• Dialers – it is installed in your computer without your knowledge. This replaces the number in your internet connection dial up setting to a premium rate number or it will dial premium rate numbers leaving you an expensive cost phone bills.
• Keylogger– this records everything you type on your PC in order to glean your log-in names, passwords, and other sensitive information, and send it on to the source of the key logging program.
• Phishing – it is a form of fraud. It disguises as reputable entity or person in email or other communication channels. It uses emails to distribute malicious links or attachments that can perform a variety of functions, including the extraction of login credentials or account information from victims.

And knowing all these Malware, how are we going to protect ourselves from them? Using different Anti–malware is one significant thing to do to protect your devices from their harmful intents. 

These guidelines will help you to protect yourself from malware threats infecting your computer.

1. Upgrade your operating system and all your software to the latest versions
2. Check for new versions regularly
3. Don’t click on links that you don’t know the destination or even download files or attachments from someone you don’t know
4. Make sure that you run an up to date antivirus software

Being aware of different malware and ways of protection from them, combining this with using secure VPN providers‘ services is a guarantee of a safety of your personal information.  Have a safe and anonymous surfing everyone!