Malware is a combination of two words: malicious and software
As the word suggests, it is malicious software to gather personal or sensitive information from computers with malicious intent. Sometimes the gathering of information and accessing of private computer is done without any malicious intent, although in both cases the harm caused can be the same. But in most cases, the function of malware is to steal information or to spy on sensitive information of other individuals. That is why the term malware can mean any kind of intrusion that is harmful.
There are different types of malware that can intrude into the computer and harm it
Worms and virus are two types of malicious software that spread across the system. Malware can spread quite fast and rapidly across the various files and folders in the system and therefore it must be identified as soon as it infects the system. The modern and advanced type of intrusion is the Trojan. Though they may seem benign, they are definitely malignant and can cause extensive damage to the system. Other types of malware are key loggers and spyware which are used randomly for phishing and identity theft. Though they come in different forms, all malware is quite harmful and can damage your computer hardware along corrupting the information and data stored on your computer.
There are many ways to fight the menace of malware
One of them is the use of anti-malware software. When installing anti-malware software to fight off intrusions, make sure the automatic updating system is active. This ensures you are using the most recent tools to combat intrusions.. The firewall should also be active to keep away such harmful intrusions. Another way to combat malware is to identify spam email. Also, delete spam emails and strange emails from friends without opening them. Links that seem suspicious should not be clicked as this can be a gateway for malware to intrude. Make sure you are using antivirus software from reliable sources as there are many fake downloads available on the Internet which are free and look enticing.
There are many antivirus and anti-malware software programs available. Call us to learn about our recommendations for your computer or organization.