In the modern technological age, malware has become a threat on almost every device we know. Something as simple as a smart fridge or Wi-Fi connected light systems can act as a security threat and ingress into local systems if the necessary precautions are not taken. Malware has become an ever present and looming threat that everybody with as little as a mobile phone must always be aware of.
What Is Malware
Malware is an extremely broad term for any software that is installed onto a computer with malicious intent, malware is a shortened off term for malicious software. The sky is truly the limit with the amount of malware in existence, but for normal purposes, malware is generally a part of four separate groups.
- Worm – A worm is a self-replicating program with the intent on spreading throughout the system and any linked systems. Worms can often serve a different purpose in the long run, like an injection method.
- Trojan – A trojan is essentially a piece of software that disguises itself to be something useful or required but offers the author a backdoor into a computer.
- Spyware – spyware is a piece of software with the sole intent of gathering information. This is most typically used for blackmail or to gather important keys, like banking information.
- Ransomware – ransomware can come in a few different forms, all with the intent of extorting for money. Whether locking files or sharing personnel files like pictures, ransomware is simply extortion.
These types of malware are not mutually exclusive, and a single malware can represent more than one subtype. For example, a trojan can be used to deliver ransomware. No matter the type, all malware can be dangerous and should be avoided at all costs, which is why sites like Crypto Thrills online casino use the most stringent security measures.
Prevention Is Better Than Cure
The best way to outright prevent malware on a system is to be vigilant.
- Do not click on random links sent to you.
- Be watchful for any illegitimate page landings, trying to steal your login details.
- Email spoofing is real. Even if you recognize the person sending you the email, if they are asking for any sensitive data like login details or asking you to download a file, confirm if it really is the correct person. Spoofing email addresses and stealing email accounts to preform fishing attacks is becoming more common.
- Offers and prizes are typically fake. It seems so obvious, but a surprising amount of people still fall for these scams and put their information into the wrong hands. If you really had won the lottery, they would not be contacting you from a mobile phone number or unrecognized email address. If it seems too good to be true, it almost certainly is.
Second Line Of Defence
It is always good to have decent antivirus and anti-malware software installed. As careful as you could possibly be, there is always the chance of somebody else compromising the network you are on, leaving your system at risk.
Malwarebytes has proven time and time again to be incredibly competent in dealing with malware and malicious threats. There are very few forms of malware that can go undetected by Malwarebytes, as it is one of the strongest anti malware software solutions around.