Ever had pop ups explode on your screen, blocking everything else and driving you crazy? Well you’ve been a victim of malware. Malware (malicious software) is a blanket term used for any software program or code that gets installed on a user’s computer without the user’s informed consent and knowledge and wreaks havoc. It usually turns the computer into a zombie, in that the user no longer has any control of the computer’s activity and the malware can be said to have ‘taken over’. A large number of viruses, worms, Trojans, backdoors, adware and spyware come under the malware category. In other words, when the intentions of the software and its creators are malicious, it’s malware. Since the infected computer in most cases becomes a ‘zombie’ or a ‘robot’ computer, especially if the malware provides the creator with remote access to the compromised PC, malware plays a crucial role in botnet activities. According to a report by Trend Micro, an internet security technology company, botnet activities will be the number one threats on the internet in 2009 and malware, a big part of them.
So how do you protect your computer? Well, by not getting fooled into downloading malware in the first place. Downloading ‘free software’, hot deals, software that have weird publishers and owners, are very obviously no-nos. Download only those software and plug-ins that you trust and which you know are required. Secondly, keep Windows or your OS up to date. With Windows you have the option of turning on Windows Updates. These updates are essential for you to receive the latest and most sophisticated protection programs for your OS from Microsoft. Ensure that your Firewall is turned on, and also check for which websites exceptions have been made. You will find this in the ‘exceptions’ tab on the Firewall window. Thirdly, a good anti-virus is important, since it can block out most malware, if not all. Keeping the anti-virus updated is also essential. If you find that your anti-virus is also unable to block out malware, you might try targeted anti-malware program. However, to ensure that your anti-malware program itself isn’t bundled with malware, download one recommended by Microsoft or from another reputed website like cnet.com
