Computer Security
Computer security involves protecting computers, networks, and the information stored on them from unauthorized access and malware. As individuals increasingly store sensitive data, such as credit card information and personal documents, the importance of maintaining robust security measures cannot be overstated. Malware, which refers to malicious software designed to cause harm, can lead to significant issues, including identity theft, data loss, and compromised privacy. Different types of malware, such as viruses, spyware, and ransomware, exploit various vulnerabilities to gain access to personal information or lock users out of their systems for ransom.
To minimize risks, experts recommend a few key practices. Regularly updating software is essential to patch security vulnerabilities, while having an effective antivirus program can help identify and eliminate threats. Using strong, unique passwords for online accounts, potentially managed by a password manager, further enhances security. Additionally, exercising caution when interacting with emails from unknown senders can prevent the inadvertent download of harmful software. By understanding the landscape of computer security and taking preventive measures, users can better safeguard their personal and sensitive information.
Computer Security
Computer security is the practice of keeping a computer, a computer network, and the information stored on computers free from malware or other unauthorized access. Many people save credit card information, photographs, and other important information on their computers. Keeping these machines secure is an important task, but many people fail to do so properly. While malware usually is removed easily, it can lead to a loss of privacy, the deletion of important files, or identity theft.
As long as malware and other illegal computer activities are profitable, criminals will continue to pursue them. Some malware records keystrokes, giving its creator access to any security information entered into a computer, such as real names, usernames, email addresses, passwords, credit card information, personal chat records, social media login information, and even online access to bank accounts. This information may be sold for large sums of money, primarily because it facilitates identity theft. Other malware may entirely lock down a computer and refuse access until a large ransom has been paid. Some rare forms of malware can cause permanent damage to a computer, destroying pieces of hardware or deleting key sections of the computer’s operating system and making the machine entirely unusable.
What Is Malware?
Malware is any software coded with malicious intent. In the early days of the Internet, most malware was coded to be little more than pranks. Amateurs created malware that did nothing but spread, simply to see if they could. Since then, malware has grown into a multinational, for-profit industry. One of the most effective ways to avoid losing personal data to this industry is to be informed about it.
While many people use the terms malware and virus interchangeably, they are not the same. All viruses are malware, but the term malware encompasses much more than viruses. A virus is a specific type of malware designed to spread by copying itself to other files on the victim’s computer. Because they are designed to self-replicate, viruses spread extremely quickly. Some even hijack the victim’s email and social-networking accounts and then send messages containing the virus to the victim’s contacts.
Spyware is any type of software designed to record someone’s computer usage without that person’s knowledge. Because spyware is designed to operate without the user’s knowledge, it is considered malware. It often is coupled with adware, which is software that forcibly displays advertisements on the victim’s computer. Spyware records a user’s internet browsing habits and feeds that information to the adware. Then, the adware displays advertisements (such as pop-up windows or banners) that are relevant to websites the victim commonly visits.
Trojan horses, sometimes called Trojans, are programs that pretend to be legitimate files while hiding malware, usually to trick a user into downloading them. In many cases, Trojans will attempt to trick victims into entering their credit card information to buy something. Because users are tricked into manually downloading Trojans, and the malware cannot replicate itself, Trojans are not considered viruses.
Keyloggers are programs that stealthily run in the background of a computer, recording everything typed into the machine—usernames, passwords, credit card numbers, and so on. Keyloggers save all this information and then send it to a third party for sorting and possibly for sale. Keyloggers often are bundled with other types of malware, such as viruses and Trojan horses.
Ransomware is software that uses encryption for exploitation. Once downloaded, ransomware quickly encrypts all important files on a computer. It then displays a message, stating that the files will be decrypted only if a large monetary sum is sent to the virus’s creator. Without the unique decryption key, normally held only by the virus creator, the files can never be accessed again. While some experts advise against paying the ransom because of a moral opposition to funding a criminal organization, paying is usually the only way to recover the files.
Since the advent of cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, there has also been malware designed to use victims' computers to mine these currencies. This practice, known as "cryptojacking," is sometimes accomplished through tactics similar to those used by Trojans—the victim receives an official-looking email with a link in it, and when they click the link the mining code is downloaded to their computer. The mining code then runs surreptitiously on the victim's computer, generating money for the creator of the script until it is discovered. Another method is to embed mining code as a script on a normal-looking website or on an advertisement that is served to multiple websites. When a user loads the website or is served the ad, the script executes and the user's browser is used for mining until they navigate away from that site or ad. This method does not result in any code being stored on the victim's computer. Though cryptojacking does not result in damage to victims' computers or the data stored on them, it takes up CPU resources, resulting in the computer running slowly.
Preventive Measures
Most computer experts follow a few simple steps to avoid malware infection. The most important of these is updating software. According to surveys, many people skip updating their computer software because the process is inconvenient. However, these updates patch crucial security holes in the software and are necessary for a safe and secure machine.
Following that, users should always have an antivirus program installed. Antivirus programs constantly scan the computer for known malicious code and remove it when they find it. Some antivirus programs even scan the computer for any programs behaving suspiciously and will isolate and remove the program, even if the program is not a known type of malware.
To increase security further, computer users should make use of strong, unique passwords whenever possible. Using a passphrase makes it easier to remember longer passwords while maintaining their uniqueness. Another way to handle password security is by using a password manager. These programs operate on one user-defined password, which a user should make as difficult to guess as possible. The program will then generate long, unbreakable passwords full of random text and symbols for the user’s various online accounts; these passwords may be accessed only by entering the first password. Enabling multifactor authentication, which requires another form of verification besides a username and password, adds another layer of account security.
Computer users should also be extremely cautious when opening emails from unknown senders, and they should never open unexpected email attachments.
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