Malicious software

Malicious software is a software that tries to steal data from a

computer, send unwanted mail or commit fraud. This type of software
usually comes alongside free downloadable content without your
knowledge.
You may not be aware that a website you are accessing contains
malware which is propagated to users who access that site. This is
because malware is possible to get when downloading site plugins or
code that is used for different applications.

Common symptoms of malware are:

• unwanted URL redirects
• pop-up ads
•modified Google search results
• additional unwanted toolbars or search sidebars in the web browser
•low speed

Virus
A computer virus is a program that integrates into the very structure of
another program and contains code by means of which it copies itself
so that it can "infect" other programs, modifying them in such a way
that when starting the program, the virus (malicious code) is first
activated and only then the now already infected program.

Rootkit
Rootkit is a program that serves to hide the activities of other malicious
programs such as backdoors programs, sniffers, keyloggers, etc. This
type of software is very difficult to find and remove from your
computer so sometimes the only solution is the reinstallation of
windows and a detailed check of your data.
Spam
Unwanted mail (usually advertisements). The problem with spam is
that it clogs up the mailbox with unwanted messages. Some messages
may contain infected attachments with malicious programs.

Worm
Worms are malicious programs that spread through computer
networks without actually infecting other programs. The basic
difference between viruses and worms is that worms do not have the
main virus component which is program infection. Worms usually use
computer networks, these days they most often arrive at the recipient's
address in the form of attachment of an electronic message. Some
other worms use different security flaws for their spread, but all of
them have a feature that does not infect other programs.

Trojan horse
A Trojan horse is a type of malware. Unlike viruses and worms, a Trojan
horse cannot multiply by itself. It is a program seemingly like any other
program, but its real function is to compromise the security of the
computer. The Trojan horse cannot work autonomously. It is activated
by the user and this way enables the Trojan to perform the actions for
which it is intended, like data deletion, spreading of other viruses
(droppers), using computers to send spam, keylogging (recording and
sending data about the keys pressed by the user), sending data about
visited web pages, creating a "zombie" computer from which DoS
(Denial-of-service) attacks can be executed later, etc.

Backdoor
A backdoor is a program that is installed by a virus, worm, or a Trojan
horse. It enables a third party to have unhindered and unauthorized
access to the computer without the knowledge of the owner. Backdoor
uses weaknesses of the operating system or its protection (firewall and
antivirus program).

Spyware, malware
Spyware and Malware are a category of malicious software that
partially takes control of the operation of a computer without the
user's knowledge or permission. They differ from viruses and worms in
a way that they usually do not copy themselves. Spyware is designed to
exploit infected computers for commercial gain. For example. perform
pop-up ads, theft of personal information (credit card numbers and
passwords), monitors the user's activity on the Internet for marketing
purposes or redirects HTTP requests to advertising pages. The
computer usually gets infected when visiting websites with illegal
content.

Adware
Or (advertising-supported software) is mostly used for free and
shareware programs (programs that offer free trial use for a certain
period of time) and have the possibility of downloading advertisements
from the owner of that same program. Certain types of adware enter
the domain of spyware and are classified as undesirable programs on
the computer because some adware can be combined with spyware. A
few examples of adware (Bonzi Buddy, Gator, VirusProtectPro, etc.).
Even some toolbar browsers which are implemented in the Internet
browser when installing a program may be adware.

Keyloggers
The name itself tells about its purpose. It is a program that is installed
on the computer without the user's knowledge and it records what the
user types including usernames, passwords, credit card numbers and
more, then it sends the texts and that data back to its author.

Ways of infection
Via external hard drives, CDs, the Internet (be careful which links you
click on, especially if you don't understand the language), via Peer to
Peer network (Torrent, LimeWire), usb memory sticks, e-mail
accessories etc.

Symptoms of virus infection

Computer running slower than usual, computer becoming
unresponsive, slow internet connection, slow program activation,
system crashing and then restarting every few minutes, programs start
by themselves, strange error messages, antivirus is turned off for no
reason and can't start, can't install antivirus, warnings about connecting
to the internet without user approvals, desktop icons appearing and
disappearing independently, duplicate extensions to files in the e-mail
attachment (eg [Link]), the appearance of blue screens (a blue
screen can also be a symptom of faulty hardware or faulty drivers), etc.

Symptoms of worm, trojan horse and e-mail infection

A copy of the infected file can be sent to all addresses in the e-mail
address list, formatting hard-disk or deletetion of files and programs,
reducing the security of the computer and allowing intruders to access
the computer, the programs do not respond after reinstallation, hard
disk scan programs report errors, disk partitions disappear, task
manager can’t be started etc.
Prevention of computer virus infection
Here are some rules to follow to avoid computer infection. When
installing a new system, before installation, first turn off the router,
make a low level format and then install: system, motherboard and
graphics card drivers, antivirus program, software firewall, turn on the
router, and then all other software (if necessary, directx, service packs,
etc.) and in this order. Be careful which e-mail attachments you open. If
you are offered the option of installing a browser toolbar when
installing a program (a small graphic add-on for searching internet
pages that is implemented in an internet browser)
select no. Avoid or be very careful when accessing websites that ask
you to download their codec because without it you won't be able to
watch their video and if it asks for a specific codec, download the codec
pack from manufacturer's page, download and install the required
codec (install only the codec that is required in order for the program to
function properly) and try again or give up. Make a backup of your data
(preferably on a DVD or external hard drive) if possible. Update your
antivirus regularly. Avoid downloading cracked programs, especially
those that must be connected to the Internet in order to function e.g.
(ip hide-ri, download accelerators, cracked firewall, cracked antivirus,
etc.) If such programs are infected (most of them are) and if we allow
them to connect to the network (in order for them to function must be
connected to the network) we automatically allowed the malicious
program (located in the crack ) to connect to the Internet. There are
many free and quality programs that can replace such programs. Be
careful who you give your e-mail to (it is desirable to have several e-
mail addresses).

How to remove malware

This is a problem that with some malicious programs is very difficult or
impossible to perform, especially with inexperienced users.
Some viruses and spyware even when found by antivirus and
antispyware programs after deletion are activated again on the
computer. The problem with some viruses is that they integrate into
the system files used by Windows, so after cleaning (deleting files by
the antivirus) when restarting the computer, Windows can no longer
start up. When the user realizes that he is infected, the simplest way to
solve the problem is the system restore option (return of windows to
the date before the computer was infected) provided that system
restore is turned on. Another solution is to download programs that,
among other things, remove this type of bait. One of these is
SuperantiSpyware Portable Scanner (it does not need to be installed
and uninstalled) and it can be started from a usb memory or cd. The
program is free. Apart from this, there are many other programs with
the same purpose, for example. Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware etc.
Many users avoid installing a firewall because of the difficult and
incomprehensible configuration. In the first line of defense against
malicious programs are antivirus programs that recognize and prevent
activities of malicious software. In case such programs are not
recognized by the antivirus and they try to connect to the internet to
send your data to its creator, that's where the firewall comes in to stop
such a connection and report an illegal connection to the Internet to
the user. Here is an example of how a user can start receiving spam
through no fault of their own. If your friend has your e-mail address in
his e-mail address book and gets infected with malware, all e-mail
addresses it has (including yours) can be sent to a spammer who will
cover it with advertisements. There is a possibility that this spammer is
exchanging e-mail addresses with someone, with another spammer or
with more of them and this leads to your e-mail box being even more
cluttered with spam. The solution? Change your e-mail address or
configure incoming mail filtering (be careful not to filter non-spam
mail).
In order for someone to create malicious software today, no knowledge
is needed. There are programs that can be found on the internet that
will create a backdoor or malware for the user and adapt it to his
needs. Such programs are available to everyone. In 90% of cases,
inexperienced users of such programs themselves become victims of
the same malware, because those programs can also be infected and
perform a double function.