![]() ![]() Some malware simply slows down your system without having an appreciable impact on operations, while other types may completely shut down your digital operations or allow hackers backdoor access to your most sensitive customer data and trade secrets. While individual users may find that malware only affects their personal computer, malware can spread through a corporate network quickly - quite literally like a cold or flu virus through a crowded hospital waiting room, only much faster. The dangers of malware are very different for personal users versus those on a corporate network. Whether that gain comes in the guise of selling your credit card number for immediate use in purchasing or creating a long-term stream of income by applying for multiple credit cards with your identity information, hackers are always looking for ways to exploit stolen information. Keystroke Loggers and Spyware: Identity theft, phishing, and social engineering are all versions of spyware that are utilized to gather your personal information for financial gain.Rootkit techniques are a way of hiding malware from anti-virus or detection and removal programs. Unfortunately, users download the “safe” software and end up with a computer that’s been infected with harmful malware. Rootkits and Trojans: Concealed attacks, or masked threats such as the Trojan, hide in your system by pretending to be benign applications. ![]() Both versions contain malicious code that is designed to damage a user’s system, called a payload. Viruses and Worms: These threats are considered contagious because they not only penetrate a user’s computer but also utilize system resources to spread their venom to others.There are a variety of different threats that are grouped under the term malware, including: “Malware” is a term that is short for “malicious software”, or programs that are designed to damage and infiltrate computers without the consent of users. Worse yet, the software was recently acquired by Avast, the prominent anti-virus software maker, leading experts to believe that this may not be the last attack that comes in the guise of a Trojan horse stored within legitimate tools. Hackers have hijacked the software, adding malware to the base install - even versions that were installed from the official download site. Unfortunately, this scenario is playing out in real time with the popular Windows app CCleaner, a utility installed on millions of systems to provide optimization and easy maintenance. It may be an IT professional’s worst nightmare: an app or piece of software that is meant to clean malware off of your computer system that actually is the delivery mechanism for a clever cyber attack. Is your business affected by the most recent malware attack on a popular Windows software? Get the details on how to protect yourself.
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