BotNet News

Malware is software that maliciously disrupts the normal operation of a computer, steals private information, or harms your device. This includes viruses, worms, Trojans, rootkits, spyware, adware, and many other types of dangerous programs.

Early malware — like the Elk Cloner virus that infected Apple II systems in 1982 — did little more than show off coders’ skills, but since then, attackers have learned how to use it for a variety of purposes. They can encrypt a victim’s files and demand ransom for the decryption key, or spread across a network to destroy data and cripple operations.

Hackers can hide malicious code in all kinds of files that you download from the Internet. These include video, picture, and music files, as well as programs and applications. Some malware is polymorphic, meaning it changes its surface appearance while retaining the algorithm within. This allows it to avoid detection by traditional virus signatures.

Mobile malware takes advantage of the fact that many users’ smartphones are always connected to Wi-Fi or cellular data, making them a bigger target than desktop computers. Attackers can use this constant connection to upload stolen information and credentials to a remote server.

The first step to protecting yourself is to know the different kinds of malware. Then you can protect against them by being careful about what you download, using ad blockers to filter out unwanted content, and checking the legitimacy of files you find online before you double-click them.