Sink or Swim in the Malware Age.
Perhaps the scariest part of owning a computer and connecting it to the internet, is the constant threat of getting infected with virus or malware programs. Many computer users have little idea of what virus or malware is or how it affects their computer.
Both virus and malware are potentially harmful programs but have different delivery (the way they get on your computer) and symptoms. They can pose a serious security threat with the potential for loss of money, potential of costly court cases or identity theft. The scope of this article does not deal with detailed information on the threat issue but highlights the need to know how to safely use your computer on the internet.
A virus program generally is spread by removable disks, including USB drives, unsecured internet connection or via email. Successful infection relies on slack or non existent security or procedures on the target computer. Virus normally are spread without any indication to the user.
Malware has become a larger issue and often includes any program that would be seen as undesirable. Sometimes a malware program will fulfil a useful function, but has unwanted side effects or will install other unwanted programs. Malware can be spread in many ways including the same ways viruses are spread, but more often they are actually installed by unwitting users. This is the area users can avoid troubles with a little knowledge. (more…)
