Computer Safety
Your Computer Safety
As soon as your computer is connected to a network or connected in any way to the outside world, it becomes vulnerable. However, lets focus here on network vulnerability. When your computer is connected to the internet, data needs to go in and needs to go out of your computer. This means there is a opening in your computer. So, you need to protect that opening. It is exactly like your house. If you can built a house consisting only from thick concrete walls, you can be sure no burglar would get in. However, you need windows to let the air and light in and of course you need at least one door to get in and out. By putting the windows and doors in there, you create a security risk. So, you put locks on the door, and windows, and you think you are secure. Burglars get smarter and figure out ways to break in anyway. So, your door manufacturer makes better locks, and better security systems. But then then the crooks get smarter and anyway fund ways to get around these new security features, so you need to upgrade again, and again…
This is what happens with your computer as well. Your computer has an operating system that allows connectivity to and from the outside, because you want to get connected to the outside, however that also creates the opportunity for someone else unwanted to get inside your computer too. So, you need some security, a virus program, a firewall, at least… But those crooks are smart, so hey find a way to buy-pass that, so your operating system vendor is creating updates all the time to fix all those new found flaws and loopholes. Additionally, we also all the time want more new features, new programs, new “Apps”. Or compared to your house, new back-door to your garden to be installed, new rooftop windows to be installed to our house, and so we open up new insecurities, that need to be fixed and fixed and fixed. The moral is here, that the only way to stay as secure as you can be, if you want to be connected to the internet, you are forced to always upgrade and update your computer to the latest to be also the safest.
Around computer security there are a lot of terminology you need to know the basics of:
Virus
This is perhaps the most commonly known version of a computer treat, therefore lets open this one up a bit. A computer virus, much like a human virus, is designed to spread from host to host and has the ability to replicate itself. Human viruses cannot reproduce without a host cell, computer viruses cannot reproduce and spread without programming logic attached to a file or document.
A virus works by inserting or attaching itself to a legitimate program or document that supports macros (simple programming) in order to execute its code. In the process a virus has the potential to cause unexpected or damaging effects, such as harming the system software by corrupting or destroying data. In order for a virus to infect your computer, you have to run the infected program, which in turn causes the virus code to be executed. This means that a virus can remain dormant on your computer, without showing major sings or symptoms. However, once the virus infects your computer, the virus can infect other computers on the same network. Stealing passwords or data, logging keystrokes, corrupting files, spamming your email contacts, and even taking over your machine are just some of the devastating and irritating things a virus can do.
Malware
Malware, short for malicious software, is an umbrella term used to refer to a variety of forms of hostile or intrusive software treats. This includes a subset of variations named computer viruses, worms, Trojan horses, ransomware, spyware, adware, scareware, and other malicious programs.
Worms, as the word already may indicate is a malicious type of program that replicates itself over teh network and typically is aiming of harming the network, rather that the computers itself.
Ransomware has nowadays got quite much into the spotlight. It infiltrates your computer and locks your data, after which the victim gets notified to pay a certain amount, after which they claim that the computer will be unlocked again. Usually this does not happen.
Spyware and Adware is there to collect personal data and send it back to the wherever the bad-guys are hiding and using the data accordingly.
Scarewave is there to cause confusion to the user and persuading you to buy some software or service. E.g. Scareware may warn you of all sorts of treats on your computer and suggest you to buy some software to solve the problem. Usually, that software would be fake and fraudulent as well.
Key loggers are programs that record all your keyboard typing and sending it back to the bad-guys. This way they can record everything you type, including your passwords, user account data and more.
Phishing is a method of online identity theft. It typically uses an email or other electronic communication methods, including direct messages sent over social networks, SMS text messages and other instant messaging modes to contact you. The us a trick called Social Engineering, which is using social skills to try to trick you in giving up personal information. Very typically this is about sending a email to verify your bank details, or job or login information. Typically they rely on the fact that people gets hundreds of emails and don’t read carefully and you simply click on a link provided, which triggers the risk presented to you. It may bring you to a malicious website and/or downloads a virus or some sort of malware. The fact is that never ever a official reputable website or instance would never ever ask you to verify or provide personal details.
Recommended Watching:
There are lots of very good and interesting videos explaining the dangers of these treats, but also how to recognize it and how to avoid getting into a nasty situation. I recommend the following videos, sit back and pay attention while watching.