What do viruses, malware and other trojans do to your devices?

Ever since the internet was invented, people have been dealing with a multitude of malware, including viruses, trojan horses, spyware, etc. People often think viruses and malware are different things. What is malware and what does it do? Malware is basically a compound word, derived from malicious software, and is a generic term for most of the malicious entities infecting devices.The name itself is quite self-explanatory, whereby the software was created for malicious intent. To make money, hackers either spread the malware on their own or sell the software on the dark web to the highest bidder. There are many types of malware, which include viruses and trojan horses.

If you are wondering what malware do to your computer, it can do a lot of damage to those who fall victim to it, from stealing sensitive data to destroying entire systems and devices. There is a reason why websites urge you to create strong passwords, as malware can easily crack the weaker ones. Certain types of malware can infiltrate systems through connected networks, resulting in identity theft, data breaches, and so on. Individuals, companies, and even governments are not immune to malware attacks.

There are many types of malware and different ways they work. We have listed down a few more common ones below:

1)     Virus

Just like biological viruses, computer viruses attach themselves to a clean host file, and proceed to infect other clean files. They usually appear as an .exe file, and manage to spread uncontrollably, resulting in damage to the system’s core functions and deleted and corrupted files. The extent of what viruses can do is huge and often results in devastating damage that requires the device to be reformatted.

2)     Trojans

Trojans are a type of virus that are disguised as or hidden inside legitimate software. If you are familiar with the Greek story of the Trojan War, you might know by now what trojan viruses do. They work very discreetly by poking holes in your system security to allow other malware in.

3)     Spyware

Spyware is designed to spy on people’s online habits, potentially stealing sensitive information such as passwords, credit card details, personal details, etc.

4)     Ransomware

This malware works like a kidnapper, whereby it locks down your computer and files and threatens to erase them unless a ransom is paid.

5)     Worms

While viruses require host files to spread, worms do not need host files to spread. They are able to infect entire networks and devices using only network interfaces, both local and via the internet.

6)     Adware

While not usually malicious, aggressive advertising software tends to undermine device security to allow their advertisements to be seen, and this actually allows other malware an easy way in.

7)     Botnets

Botnets are a series of infected computers working together under the control of a hacker.

Does malware infect just computers? What does malware do to your phone? Or tablet? Unfortunately for smart device users, anything that is able to connect to the internet is vulnerable to malware attacks to varying degrees. It is thus worth investing in a good device security program like antivirus and antimalware. Avoid clicking suspicious links or exploring dubious websites and always ensure that you run your antivirus/antimalware program to detect any potential infiltration.  

Now that you know what malware is and the importance of preventing it, check out CARE’s IT security services to enhance your IT security features and detect any potential threats before it is too late. Read our CARE blog articles for more digital news and trends now!