Last updated on June 6th, 2024 at 04:53 pm
The terms malware and virus are related and are often confused. They are among the most wide-ranging threats to the security of your computer system. Viruses and malware are malicious entities that corrupt files and gain access to unauthorized information stored on your computer system. If not disposed of properly, your computing device will cease all operations. In this post, we will explore:
- Definition of the term virus;
- What a malware is;
- The difference between a virus and a malware;
- Strategies that you can use to protect your devices against viruses and malware;
- Types of malware;
- Tools and techniques that you need for digital security; and
- Methods that you can use for the long-term prevention of attacks.
What is a computer virus?
A computer virus is not unlike the type of virus that attacks your body. You carry that type of virus and unknowingly transmit it from person to person. Inevitably it affects the way your body works.
In like manner, a computer virus attaches itself to a document like an email, which, when opened, replicates and is transferred to your system. It damages your files and slows down your system. When you, in turn, send out messages or move files with your portable storage device to another computer, the virus is again transferred to another system. It is then continuously transferred from one computer to another, damaging files and affecting the way other computers work. In fact, it particularly slows done your computing device.
What is a computer malware?
There are many different harmful programs that affect the way your computer works. Some such examples are viruses, trojan horses, spyware, and worms. All of these fall under the umbrella of malware. While a virus is a type of malware, not all malware are viruses. So, what exactly is a computer malware?
Malware is a term we use to define any malicious software regardless of its purpose. It is a program that is designed to harm a computer or network.
Virus vs. malware
So what exactly differentiates a virus from other types of malware? Simple! Again referencing the body, a virus needs a host program/file to travel from one computer system to another. However, this characteristic does not define all malware. A malware may be a program designed to steal your personal information. It may also be a program designed to lock you out of your computer and force you to pay a fee to ensure the system is released.
Types of malware
A malware is a malicious program targeting technology, and if appropriate action is not taken, it can have severe consequences for your devices. Some types of malware are:
- Viruses;
- Worm;
- Trojans horses;
- Ransomware;
- Spyware;
- Adware;
- Bootnets; and
- Rootkits.
Understanding digital threats and malware.
Having an understanding of digital threats and malware is a very important skill in today’s technological age, especially with the role that technology plays in our personal and professional lives. Here is a breakdown of the concepts:
- Attack vectors: Attack vectors refer to the method used by cybercriminals to breach a user’s personal information. Some examples of attack vectors are phishing attacks, drive-by downloads, social engineering, and malvertising.
- Prevention and mitigation: when it comes to viruses and malware, there are many methods that you can use to protect your computer from them. Here are some examples of prevention and mitigation methods: Antivirus/antimalware software, firewalls, user education, access control, and data backup.
- Incident response: Incident response refers to the action taken by an individual or an organization when it thinks that it may be under a malware attack. Here are the methods that we utilize when responding to malware attacks: detection, containment, eradication, recovery, and post-incident analysis.
By understanding the threats and utilizing the procedures provided, you can better understand and protect your device from malicious attacks by cybercriminals. If you are interested in learning about other computer security issues, you should explore identity theft.
Tools and techniques that you need for digital security
There is a wide variety of tools and techniques that exist to protect your devices from malware and viruses. Here is a brief list of those techniques and tools:
- Firewalls: We use firewalls to protect our devices from unauthorized access. They are commonly known as the first line of technological defense.
- Antivirus software: Antivirus is basically the police of the computer. Its main job is to detect, prevent, and remove malicious software from your device.
- Intrusion detection system: As the name suggests, we use this software to detect any and prevent all intrusions into important company data. We also use it to notify individuals who usually handle such issues.
- Encryption tools: These are tools that we use to encrypt important information that we need to transfer or protect from unauthorized access and tampering.
- Multi-factor authentication: As the name suggests, multi-factor authentication provides the user with multiple layers of protection on their systems, which would require multiple types of verified identification in order to unlock a system.
Measures that you can use to prevent damage to your computer
Protecting your devices from malicious attacks is a challenge. If it requires long-term protection, then a multi-layer type of protection may be the only option available to individuals. Here are some methods that you can use to protect your computing device:
- Install anti-virus software;
- Keep software updated;
- Use firewalls;
- Exercise caution when opening email attachments and links;
- Implement web filtering;
- Enable popup blocker;
- Get an education on how to safeguard your system;
- Use strong passwords;
- Backup data regularly;
- Enable device encryption;
- Monitor your network traffic;
- Utilize virtual private networks (VPN’S); and
- Stay informed.
A malware is a malicious software that programmers create to negatively affect your computer. In this digital age, they have become a growing problem that every owner of a computing device needs to guard against. However, they are not the only type of threat we need to guard against. To learn more about digital threats, be sure to explore our articles on cyberbullying and obscene materials. You will learn why these are dangerous and how you can guard against them.