As technology and world population both grow, computers are becoming a standard household item and a necessary business asset. Unfortunately with this technology growth and the prevalent availability of the internet, many threats have developed that can affect the average computer user.  There are many ways to decrease the vulnerability of your computer, thereby reducing potential negative impacts of these threats.  Please feel free to discuss the options available to protect your security with one of our technicians.

Listed below are definitions of some of the most common threats affecting computer users.

Adware

Adware are programs that facilitate delivery of advertising content to the user through their own window, or by utilizing another program’s interface.  In some cases these programs may gather information from the user’s computer, including information related to internet browser usage or other computing habits, and relay this information back to a remote computer or other location in cyber-space.

Adware can be downloaded from websites (typically in shareware or freeware), email messages, and instant messengers.  Additionally a user may unknowingly receive and/or trigger adware by accepting an End User License Agreement from a software program linked to the adware or from visiting a website that downloads the adware with or without an End User License Agreement.

Dialers

Dialers are programs that use a computer or modem to dial out to a 900 number or FTP site, typically to accrue charges, e.g., calling offshore numbers at a rate of $25 per minute.  Dialers can be installed with or without explicit knowledge, and may perform their dialing activity without a user’s specific consent prior to dialing.

Hack Tools

Hack tools can be used by a hacker or unauthorized user to attack, gain unwelcome access to, or perform identification or fingerprinting of your computer.  While some hack tools may also be valid for legitimate purposes, their ability to facilitate unwanted access makes them a threat. Hack tools also generally:

• Attempt to gain information on or access a host surreptitiously utilizing methods that circumvent or bypass obvious security mechanisms inherent to the system it is installed on; and/or,
• Facilitate an attempt at disabling a target computer preventing its normal use.

One example of a hack tool is a keystroke logger – a program that tracks and records individual keystrokes and can send this information back to the hacker.  This also applies to programs that facilitate attacks on third-party computers as part of a direct or distributed denial-of-service attempt.

Hoax

A hoax is usually an email that gets mailed in chain letter fashion describing some devastating, highly unlikely type of virus. Hoaxes are detectable as having no file attachment, no reference to a third party who can validate the claim, and by the general tone of the message.

Joke Programs

Joke programs alter or interrupt the normal behavior of your computer, creating a general distraction or nuisance. Joke programs generally do not engage in the practice of gathering or distributing information from the user’s computer.

Malware

Malware falls under the definition of both adware and spyware. The difference is that malware is malicious and causes damage to system and/or data files.

Remote Access

Remote access allows one computer to access another computer (or facilitate such access) without explicit authorization when an access attempt is made.  Once access is gained, usually over the internet or by direct-dial access, the remote access program can attack or alter the other computer.  It may also have the ability to gather personal information, or infect or delete files.  Remote access openings may also create the risk that third party programs can exploit its presence to obtain access. Such remote access programs generally:

• Attempt to remain unnoticed, either by actively hiding or simply not making their presence on a system known to the user; and/or,
• Attempt to hide any evidence of their being accessed remotely over a network or internet.

Means by which these programs provide access may include notifying a remote host of the machine by sending its address or location, or employing functionality that wholly or partially automates access to the computer on which the program is installed.

The Remote Access tool built into windows is very useful and not to be confused with the description above.

Security Risks

Other security risks are defined as threats that do not meet the definitions of viruses, trojan horses, worms, or other expanded threat categories, but which may present a threat to a computer and its data, an unwanted nuisance to the user, or exhibit other unexpected or unwanted results when the threat is present and functioning.  This category includes programs that encrypt or otherwise attempt to obfuscate some of their functionality, making it difficult to determine whether they fall into one of the other categories.

Spyware

Spyware is described as programs that have the ability to scan systems or monitor activity and relay information to other computers or locations in cyber-space. Spyware is typically used to gather and distribute information related to the user’s computer, applications running on the computer, internet browser usage, or other computing habits. Among the information that may be actively or passively gathered and disseminated by spyware are passwords, log-in details, account numbers, personal information, individual files, or other personal documents.

Spyware frequently attempts to remain unnoticed, either by actively hiding or by simply not making its presence on systems known to the user.  Spyware can be downloaded from websites (typically in shareware or freeware), email messages, and instant messengers.  Additionally a user may unknowingly receive and/or trigger spyware by accepting an End User License Agreement from a software program linked to the spyware or from visiting a website that downloads the spyware with or without an End User License Agreement.

Trojan Horse

A trojan horse portrays itself as something other than what it is at the point of execution. While it may advertise its activity after launching, this information is not apparent to the user beforehand. A trojan horse neither replicates nor copies itself, but causes damage or compromises the security of the computer.  A trojan horse must be sent by someone or carried by another program and may arrive in the form of a joke program or software of some sort.  The malicious functionality of a trojan horse may be anything undesirable for a computer user, including data destruction or compromising a system by providing a means for another computer to gain access, thus bypassing normal access controls.

Virus

A virus is a program or code that replicates itself onto other files with which it comes in contact. Viruses can infect another program, boot sector, or a document that supports macros, by inserting itself or attaching itself to that medium. Most virus only replicate, though many can do damage to a computer system or a user’s data as well. Some viruses attach themselves to data or system files so upon deletion of the virus, the infected data or system file is deleted as well.

Worm

A worm is a program that makes and facilitates the distribution of copies of itself, for example, from one disk drive to another, or by copying itself using email or another transport mechanism. The worm may do damage and compromise the security of the computer. It may arrive via exploitation of system vulnerability or by clicking on an infected email.

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