A Detailed Guide On Malware and its Protection from computer

Malware is one of the common hazards faced by cybercitizens. Although you are aware of many different types of malware that can be confronted, you don’t know how badly this malware affects your devices, even if you are using end to end technology . This malware is not predictable. In a way, they can be considered the same as human flu, and they do not have any season; they just appear anytime, any day.

Every type of malware affects your system differently, from deadly and devious to attenuated. But if you have proper knowledge regarding this malware, you can indeed reduce the effect of this malware on your computer. There are many short term malware courses offered that help you understand the causes and consequences of malware, ways to deal with this malware and how to avoid this malware from affecting your computer in future.

What is malware?

Malware is described as a term that covers and describes any fallacious programming or codes that are harmful to the computer. This malware is made to intentionally damage or disable your computers, personal devices, networks, etc., by taking fragmented control over the device. The reasons behind this malware are different. This malware can act as a medium to make money from you, disturb your ability to work, disturb your personal or professional documents, make a political statement, or brag about your rights. Even though this malware does not affect your computer system’s hardware or your network, it can delete, hack, encrypt, steal, or alter any data stored in the computer. This malware also helps in spying on your activities on a computer without your permission or prior knowledge.

How to identify that your system is infected by malware?

Malware shows its presence by affecting the behavior or working of your computer or any other device. Listed below are some signs that indicate the presence of malware on your system:

• Decreased speed of your system is one of the most common effects due to the presence of malware. You might also notice the sudden increase in speed of your system’s fan- this is a good indicator of something running in the background of your computer system. You can also notice high data usage just by using daily applications. This happens when your system gets affected by the botnet, which is mainly networks of suppressed networks used to perform attacks or blasts of spam.
• Your screen gets popped up with unexpected ad pops, which are also a sign of malware affecting your device. This malware is popularly known as adware, and these increased pop-ups are the threat signs of malware present on your system. If something like,” HELLO, CONGRATULATIONS YOU HAVE WON A LOTTERY” appears on your phone and you accidentally get into the trap of the prize, whatever the reward is promised through the ad, you might have to pay plenty once this malware gets into your system.
• The sudden crashing of the system can also result in freezing or blue screen death. This further occurs on your window system after hitting upon destructive errors.
• If you observe a cryptic loss of space in your hard drive, which could be due to distended malware pioneers that are hidden in your hard drive
• If in case, your antivirus has expired, and you do not install new software, leaving your software unprotected against the hidden malware.
• If you observe sudden and weird changes in your internet activity and other hazards that require back and forth elucidation with the C&C servers.
• Suppose you suddenly lose access to your files. In that case, this can be a symptom of malware present in your device, and this malware shows its presence by sudden automatic changes in your wallpapers or any other kind of sudden pop-ups on your device. This is clear that your data has been encrypted and requires decryption of your files through an expert.

There can be malware present on your device even if there is no noticeable; these are powerful malware that keeps them hidden in your system without affecting the working of your computer or network.

How does malware get into your device?

The most common ways this malware gets into your device are emails and the internet. Hence the time you are connected is high time for malware to make your system accessible. This malware penetrates deep into your phones while you surf on the internet through hacked websites, downloading infected files, installing applications that are unfamiliar to you, accessing emails that have malicious links attached.

This malware can hide entirely without notice, especially when they enter your device through illegal applications downloaded from direct links or websites and not official application downloading sites. Hence it is very essential for you to look for warning messages before installing any application, particularly when they seek permission to access your emails and other personal information in your system.

It is advised to stick to trusted mobile apps or installations from reputed third-party applications rather than installing apps from other sites. This malware won’t affect your system if you do not install any unrecognized application or open any mysterious emails attached.

If you install any app from a known source, you might get affected by malware and do not pay proper attention to app permissions to install different applications. In these conditions, you will permit the app to download multiple software while installing potentially unwanted programs. Being utterly fair with the situation, we cannot particularly blame the software for the malware infection. It is entirely possible that visiting a malware advertisement or banner will affect your system by this malware.

Most common types of malware

Here are a few of the most common malware affecting your system:

• Adware:

These are software built to pop advertisements on your screen and are most common while browsing. These are underhanded method that is illegal, and they hide under another application software that tricks you into installing in your system.

• Spyware:

These are meant to spy the user activities secretly, without the permission and knowledge of the user, and reports these activities to the software’s author

• Virus:

These are malware attached to other programming apps and get executed by the inadvertent user itself. And replicates its presence by modifying and infecting the functioning of different applications in your system.

• Worms:

Worms are the same as a virus, with a big difference that worms spread on their own across the whole system.

• Trojan horse:

These are considered the most dangerous malware of all. These are beneficial in tricking you. The accessor behind the trojan horse gets unauthorized access to the infected system and can steal your financial information.

• Ransomware:

This malware disables your device or encrypts your files to force you to pay ransom to gain reaccess to your files and device.

• Rootkit:

This malware provides administrative privileges to the author on the affected system; this malware is designed to keep itself hidden from the user and other software operating on the system

• Exploits:

This malware takes advantage of the bugs to attack the accessibility of the system. Here the author steals your data with the help of the malware present on your device. Here the app has zero explicit to the software, and they do not have any defense or fix till date.

How to protect your system from malware?

Listed below are some essential tips that would help you protect your system from malware:

1. Use a strong password for multi-factor authentication
2. Avoid clicking on ad pop-ups
3. Avoid accessing unaddressed mails
4. Do not visit unverified links, messages, or mails
5. Avoid downloading software from a third party, or any direct download link
6. Delete programs you do not need anymore
7. Backup your data timely, to avoid any data loss even if your files get encrypted
8. Download antivirus that scans and blocks your device from getting any cyber hazard

Conclusion

The above article is all about malware, and tips to protect your system from malware, hope you find the article in keeping your system safe from malware.