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Been there - TWICE!!
Computer Threats - Ten Computer Security Threats That
Can Cost You A New PC
by Azwan Asmat
Computer security threats have cost most people around
$2000 to buy a new laptop. When the threats are infecting their
computer, they cannot do anything and have to buy a new computer. Have
you ever wondering why your computer is running slow? Or why your
memory usage is always 100%? Or are you getting the same pop-up every
time you open your web browser? These are caused by the nasty threats
that lurk in your computer.
Therefore, computer security is important to all
Internet users. These threats bring nothing but trouble and it can also
cost you your personal and confidential information. There are ways to
remove the threats that didn't cost you near a price of a laptop. But,
before you learn how to remove the threats, first you must know what
the threats are.
In this article, I will explain ten must-know threats
for any computer and Internet users.
1. Internet Worms
Internet worms are programs that can affect another
computer on the same network and it works differently from virus. It
doesn't need to attach itself to another programs to be harmful and can
create an exact copy of itself. Worms spread via network and consume
bandwidth. Have you ever wondering why your network connection becomes
so slow? It might be because of the worms. Worms can have many
malicious effects such as causing a server to crash, make a user's
files unusable, or creating a backdoor on target computer.
2. Rootkit
Rootkit can hide it presence in a computer and can avoid
detection while running its utilities. It can create a backdoor on
target computer and allow hacker to send spam emails or use the target
computer to perform denial-of-service attack on servers. Detecting it
is difficult as it can conceal its presence in a computer. One way to
detect it is by running virus scanner while it's not running. In this
case, running the antivirus before the system boots the hard disk.
3. Zombies
When a virus or trojan has infected a user's computer,
it will open a 'backdoor' to allow hackers use the infected computer
for malicious purpose without the owner knowledge. This infected
computer is called the zombie. Furthermore, the hacker can sell the
target computer access to others and others can use if for their own
purpose. If a spammer has gained an access to the target computer, it
will use it to send spam.
4. Browser Hijacker
A browser hijacker can change your browser home page or
search pages in your browser. In worse cases, it can disable your
internet option so you cannot change the home page to the default home
page. Furthermore, the browser hijacker can edit the registry so it can
run every time you restart the Windows.
5. Email Virus
Email virus can distribute itself using email as an
attachment. When you open the attachment, it will launch the virus and
the virus will use the target computer to send the same email with the
same attachment to other computer. It can also find files containing
email addresses in the target computer and send the same email to the
email addresses that it found. Sometimes, it can launch itself when the
user views the email even though the user didn't launch the attachment.
6. Mousetrapping
Was there a time when you cannot leave a website? This
is called mousetrapping. The website will use a script preventing the
Internet user from leaving the website. Sometimes, it will open a new
browser and will display the same website. In order to prevent this
from happening, you need to disable java script so the script no longer
working.
7. Phishing
This is another threat that we faced online. Phishing is
a term comes from fishing because the phisher will try to obtain your
private information using bogus emails or bogus websites. If the
phishers want to obtain your PayPal username and password, they will
create a website that is the exact copy of PayPal and will email you
asking you to enter your username and password using the link provided.
The link they provided in the email will not go to PayPal, instead, it
will go to the phishing website and if you enter your username and
password, they will use it to get your money out of PayPal.
8. Spam
Spam is the junk emails or bulk emails send by the
spammer to numerous recipients aimed to advertise something, scam, or
sending virus. Spam can disguise itself as a personal email to bypass
the spam blocker. Some spam does no harm but it's a waste of time
deleting it and it's also annoying.
9. Spyware
A spyware is software used by hackers and advertisers to
gain information about you. When visiting certain websites, you're
asked to install this type of software or updates that you need and the
updates that you installed are actually spyware. Spyware can also
install itself in your computer and it consumes memory usage and will
slow down your computer.
10. Adware
Software that displays advertisement in your computer is
adware and some of it installed itself in your computer without you
knowing. However, not all adware are bad. Some of it is used to
advertise something to fund the company. This type of adware will ask
and tell you that they will install software that will display related
advertisement in your computer. But, adware is a problem if it's too
difficult to uninstall, or it installed itself without you knowing, or
it hijack your web browser and slow down your computer. This type of
adware needs to be removed.
About the Author
Azwan Asmat is the author of Chuang Computer Tips http://chuangcomputer.blogspot.com
.Want to know the secret of securing your PC from dangerous spyware,
adware, and malware programs that can ruin your PC, your finances, and
your sanity?! Visit http://www.chuangcomputer.com/pcsafety/
for more info.
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