--Originally published at lazynesstothemax
Malware comes from Malicious Software.This is a concept very common when we talk about Cyber Security. Malware is a program or a piece of code meant to do something bad to our system. Malware is made to harm the integrity of our system or to make it malfunction. When we talk about Malware there are many types of it, and there are as follow:
- Virus: Viruses are programs that are created to infect other files and programs in our system. This programs may also exist to destroy parts of our files for them to malfunction. Viruses infect other programs by inserting lines of code into the file, most of these files targeted are executable so that these lines of code run and do bad stuff to our system.
- Adware: This software is created to display publicity in our browsers or in our computers. This application insert lines of code in our display software and browsers or add extensions to show popups or images in the side of our pages. This applications keep track of the user information.
- Backdoors: This applications seek for entrances and vulnerability to our system to have access to them and do as the creator pleases to them. This programs are made to have computers available for future use.
- Botnet: This kind of software make use of computers that have been successfully infected by backdoors and make use of these “robots” or “zombies” for their resources. Botnets make a network of the victims and make them work for their own purposes.
- Worms: worms are similar to viruses but they don’t need an initial file or program to be executed in order to infect the victim’s files. They come in from other ways like local networks, email, instant messages, usbs and social media.
- Hoax: Hoaxes are chains emails that want to make the reader think something is real when it is not.
- Hijacker: This are programs that want to limit the functionality of a browser in order to make the user only be able to do stuff with affiliated programs. Like making the search engine be something else than google for example.
- Keylogger: This programs are in charge of registering everything the user types in a file. This programs are used to steal passwords most of the time.
- Phishing: This is a method of presenting a well known page front so the user enters their information, when in reality this information is going to another person’s so they use their information with malicious intent
- PUP: This are Potentially Unwanted Programs, that install themselves without the consent of the user. This types of programs do bad stuff to the system as they try to compromise the user’s privacy, confidentiality and their computer resources.
- Rogue: Rogues are programs that do stuff other of what they present themselves that are supposed to do. A popular example is the uproar of false anti spyware programs that tell you that you need to buy the full version in order to fix your problems. When in reality they won’t do poop.
- Riskware: Legit programs that are made with intentional vulnerabilities in order for the crackers to crack and hackers to hack..
- Rootkit: This are a special and very dangerous kinda malware because they embed themselves in critical files of the operating system making them very difficult to get rid off. They are made to create a communication line to the creator so he can control your system in the near future.
- Spam: This are emails that the user didn’t ask for to begin with.
- Trojan: Trojans are basically viruses in terms of functionality but they are usually embeded in legit programs so they bypass the antivirus.
- Spyware: It is an application that gather information from the user without the user’s consent.
- Ransomware: These programs make of the user’s files their hostages and make the user pay the creator for the release of these victims.
Knowing about all these malware, what can we do to protect ourselves? We have to have a good antivirus (good ones will usually require to be bought) and a good firewall, we need everything to be updated and to have a little of common sense to not click on suspicious things as we surf through the webs.
This post was made in collaboration with Rodolfo Padró from https://rodolfopadro.wordpress.com/ Check out his other post about Security and other stuff hehe xd
