Malware is a term used to encompass all types of computer security threats such as viruses, spyware, and other rogue computer programs that have the intent of inflicting some type of change or damage on a computer system without the user's informed consent. Malware comes in many forms and has many different means of delivery, the most common of which are detailed below. Read and be aware of these various ways that malware can infiltrate a computer and learn to practice safe web surfing habits to prevent them.
Malware Distribution Via Email
Due to the inherantly poor security that goes along with email it is one of the most common ways to acquire a malware infection. The most common way that malware infections occur through email is by tricking the user into opening an attachment. Even messages that appear to be sent by known friends and associates can be malware infections in disguise. The most useful tip to prevent this type of malware infection is to never open any attachment unless you are certain that the message and file is actually from the person it says it is. Another good tip is to use a virus scanning software product that includes an email scanning system.
Malware Distribution Via Popup Advertising and Fraudulent System Errors
Perhaps the second most common route for infecting a system (although this method is quickly gaining in speed and complexity) is that of pop up advertising and fraudulent system error messages. A skillful hacker can craft a popup window that will look exactly like a legitimate Windows system error message or take the form of a warning message that intices the user to click a button on the pop up.
The most common and current iterations of this malware infection come in the form of a seemingly legitimate message saying that the system has been infected by a virus and that you need to download AntiVirus2009 or a similar product to repair it. This social engineering stunt tricks many people into clicking through the advertisement and downloading a malware program that infects the system and allows the hacker that wrote the virus to use it for their own purposes. A good rule of thumb to prevent this type of infection is to simply NEVER click through any pop up messages. Close them with the X in the top right corner and then scan your computer with a legitimate virus scanning program.
