SPYWARE, MALWARE, VIRUSES – WHAT ARE THESE THINGS?!
Almost everyone has had to deal with one of these things. The computer flus and colds that keep all users on their toes in hopes that they don’t get infected.
Years ago, the terms “spyware” and “malware” did not exist. You had computer “viruses” and that was all. Eventually, there were so many different types of viruses that the anti-virus professionals thought it wise to separate and classify these viruses into their purposeful names. A virus can be defined as “An unwanted program installed in a computer that affects the computer’s performance, data, and security in a negative manner”.
SPYWARE: This type of software is basically a program that gets downloaded and installed into a computer. This type of program will sit on a PC collecting information and spying on the user’s actions. This is usually done without the user’s consent. Once the data has been collected, the data may be sent to a 3rd party.
MALWARE: Otherwise known as malicious software. Though similar in most ways as spyware in terms of infiltration, once the program is installed, its purpose is not to collect, but to damage. The program will try to delete and harm data on your computers instead of just collecting information.
The reason the terminology gets so blurred is because spyware and malware are just different types of viruses. The big question should not be what they are, but how do we prevent getting them!
Almost all viruses come through the Internet. In 99% of all cases, the programs get installed because the user clicked on something that they shouldn’t, allowing the virus to come in. Here are a few key points:
1. If you have an antivirus system, keep it updated. Most antivirus applications will download their most up-to-date virus definitions automatically every few hours, but that is not sufficient. If it is 2007, and you are still running your company’s antivirus program, version 2004, you are at risk. Older antivirus programs are not trained to look for certain virus patterns which will compromise your safety.
2. If you see a message asking you to install a program, regardless of the company, ignore it UNLESS YOU WERE EXPECTING IT. I have seen viruses appear as Microsoft telling you that you need to protect yourself against its latest antivirus program. If you had a virus and an updated virus scanner, your antivirus program would have told you that you were not protected. Microsoft doesn’t know anything about your protection level or what is in your computer as that is a violation of privacy law. You have to learn to ignore random messages and only consider clicking on something if you were expecting it.
3. Click on the X, nothing else. When you receive an email, pop-up message, or warning that you are supposed to do something or install something, click on the X. Some viruses are programmed to install when you click OK or when you even click on CANCEL. Don’t be fooled, the X is always safe
4. Of course, do not open emails from people you don’t know. Especially, do not open attachments from people you don’t know.
The good news is that unlike the common cold and flu, with viruses of any type, we can avoid getting them if we can be smart about it.
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