Online security threats

The internet has proved to be a most powerful and useful tool for billions of people worldwide. However, in the same way that you won’t leave your house unlocked, you shouldn’t go online without taking some basic precautions. But where do you start? And what are the types of threats in store? Yes, that’s precisely the question we answer. Join us as we discuss more about online threats and ways to protect yourself.

Malware

Short for malicious software, this is a type of software that is installed without your consent. Worms, Viruses, and Trojan horses are examples of the malicious software referred to as Malware. Wondering what Viruses and Trojan horses are? Read further.

Virus

Viruses are harmful computer programs that are designed to spread from one computer to another and interfere with computer operations. A virus can corrupt or delete data on your computer and damage your hard drive.

Trojan Horse

A Trojan Horse is a destructive computer program that masquerades itself as a benign file or application (such as .jpg or .doc). It then opens up a backdoor or access to your PC without your knowledge.

Worm

This is a self-replicating malicious computer program that uses a computer network to send copies of itself to other computers on the same network. Unlike a Virus, it doesn’t need to attach itself to an existing program. Worms almost always cause some damage to a network.

Botnet

Botnet is a large network of compromised computers. A “Bot” is a malicious software that enables cyber criminals to control your computer without your knowledge and use it to execute illegal activities such as sending out spam, spreading viruses etc.

Spyware

A Spyware is a software (that can even be legitimate), which monitors a user’s online activity and collects various personal information such as internet surfing habits, etc. Spyware is dangerous as its presence in a system is typically hidden from the user and can therefore be difficult to detect.

Phishing

Phishing is another type of online identity theft that uses email and fraudulent websites designed to steal your personal data or information, such as credit card numbers, passwords, account data, or other information.