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What are computer viruses and malware?

Computer viruses and malware are harmful software programs.

  • They can attack computers, tablets, smartphones and even your personal assistant devices like Alexa and Google Home.
  • They spread by duplicating and attaching themselves to other files.
  • Malware is short for “malicious software”. Viruses are a kind of malware.

Malware and viruses cause billions of dollars of financial damage through computers and devices every year. To counter the threat and damage caused by them, many antivirus programs are written and available, including open source software.

What kinds of damage can viruses do?

Viruses aim to illegally access to your device. Once they manage to do that, they can cause damage by

  • accessing your financial data
  • destroying your personal data
  • corrupting your hard disk
  • slowing or even crashing your device down
  • slowing down your network or internet connection

What other kinds of malware are out there?

  • Computer worms – Worms don’t infect or manipulate files on their own. They spread through networks, via email, operating systems, instant messaging (IM), even smartphones! They clone themselves over and over again and spread via a network to other computers and systems, continuing to replicate themselves. In one the worst cases, a computer worm called ILOVEYOU was said to have infected 10% of the world’s computers in 10 days. While they don’t damage your computer themselves (their damage is to the network), they can carry a “payload” (usually their cousin, the virus) that executes and then causes harm to each computer it infects.
  • Ransomware – as the name suggests, this is a program that takes over a computer system and either locks it or threatens to publish their personal data unless a ransom is paid.
  • Spyware (including unwanted adware and trojans) – software that gathers personal or financial information about a person or organization from their computer systems illegally and without their knowledge.

 

What should I do to stay safe?

Research the best anti-virus software for your computer systems that fits your budget, and install and keep them up-to-date to ensure you are protected against all kinds of malware.

 

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