Crystal Done Monta

Top Malware Threats and How to Protect Yourself 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. 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, hacking, and any bad intention that other people with bad motives are taking our innocence as an opportunity for them to do bad things with our personal data. By using a malware, they can manipulate, stole and delete our personal information without us knowing it. So what is a MALWARE? It means Malicious Software. They can create privacy loss, unauthorized entry and can spread. They bring some kind of disturbance to a computers. It affects the computer by means of: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Websites Email Physical media (ex: Flashdrive) Pop up window Software Illegal fire sharing Here we enlisted some of the types of Malware that can infect or maybe it is already doing its job in one of your devices. Kinds of Malware Virus –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 3 Party a. rd 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 Trojan horse – it is hidden program, you will not noticed it entered your system. It can enter in installing programs. ● steal information a. ● ● ● ● ● 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 a. b. c. Joke program – mouse goes reverse or joke pop up message displaying untrue messages Spam – junk email 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 – it is also called “wannacry”. It demands money for your system to be unencrypted Advance fee fraud – offers by email Spyware - 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- 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 keylogging 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 Malwares, how are we going to protect ourselves from them? So here we enlisted different Anti – malwares to protect your devices from their harmful intents. o HERDPROTECT - it uses anti-malware engines by just downloading the program to scan for malware and then once completed you will have the opportunity to fully remove any detected threats that are found. But here you must have an internet connection to run the program. o tdsskiller from Kaspersky - this is anti-malware tool, more specifically an anti-rootkit tool. But this anti – malware focuses only on rootkits. o ComboFix - this is only available in Windows XP Vista Windows 7 and Windows 8, it is not currently available for Windows 8.1 or Windows 10. It removes a lot of rootkits, it can also remove viruses or very difficult infections. It is only recommended for computer technicians because when used improperly it can boot the computers. o AdwCleaner - designed for adware and other malware related programs. o JUNKWARE - removal tool owned by MALWAREBYTES, this works for adware and other malware related programs. o HitmanPro - malware removal tool that removes everything from viruses to trojans, spyware, adware and other malware related program. It removes junk files like cookies and see it as spyware, whatever it has found out, the anti-malware is set to delete or quarantine entire list. So it is better for you to check everything before proceeding the program. o SUPERAntiSpyware - it tracks cookies and classifies it as spyware o Malwarebytes Anti-Malware - scans and detects malware You can also do this guidelines to protect yourself from malwares 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 attachements from someone you don’t know 4. Make sure that you run an up to date antivirus software Have a safe browsing everyone!