Simply a Virus is one of a range of computer infections that are now covered by the over-arching term Malware. You see in the early days of computing, there were only viruses but over the years the types of infections are categorised by what they attempt to achieve. The term malware refers to any malicious software installed on a machine to cause damage, gain access to data or scare users into paying for something that they don’t necessarily need or want.
Common types of Malware
- Virus
- Adware
- Spyware
- Worms
- Trojan
- Ransomware
Virus: As discussed, Virus is a specific type of malware by itself. It is a contagious piece of code that infects the other software on the host system and spreads itself once it is run. It is mostly known to spread when software is shared between computers. This acts more like a parasite.
Adware: Adware is also known as advertising-supported software. It is software that renders advertisements for the purpose of generating revenue for its author. The advertisements are published on the screen and presented to the user at the time of installation. Adware is programmed to examine which Internet sites, the user visits frequently and to present feature-related advertisements. Not all adware has malicious intent, but it becomes a problem anyway because it harms computer performance and can be annoying.
Spyware: This type of malicious software, spies on you and tracks your internet activities. It helps the hacker in gathering information about the victim’s system, without the consent of the victim. This spyware’s presence is typically hidden from the host and it is very difficult to detect. Some spyware like keyloggers may be installed intentionally in an organization to monitor the activities of employees.
Worms: This type of malware will replicate itself and destroys information and files saved on the host PC. It works to eat up all the system operating files and data files on a drive.
Trojan: Trojans are a type of virus that is designed to make a user think they are a safe program and run them. They may be programmed to steal personal and financial information, and later take over the resources of the host computer’s system files. In large systems, it may attempt to make a host system or network resource unavailable to those attempting to reach it. Example: your business network becoming unavailable.
Ransomware: Ransomware is an advanced type of malware that restricts access to the computer system until the user pays a fee. Your screen might show a pop-up warning that you have been locked out of your computer and that you can access it only after paying the cybercriminal. The cybercriminal demands a ransom to be paid in order for the restriction to be removed. The infamous Cryptolocker is one type of ransomware.
We can Help
Should your Laptop or computer be showing signs of a Malware infection, We can help remove it, clean up your machine and get it running back to its best. You can call Warrington PC Doctor on 01925 924430 to discuss your problem or Request a Quote