All about your computers girl friend..
Viruses (Vital Information Resource Under Siege)
Adware
Adware is software that presents banner ads or in
pop-up windows through a bar that appears often
while browsing. Those advertisements usually can't
be removed and are consequently always visible.
They can lead users to malicious links.
Backdoors
A backdoor can gain access to a computer by going
around the computer access security mechanisms. A
program that is being executed in the background
generally enables the attacker almost unlimited
privilege. User’s personal data can be stolen with
the backdoor's help, but are mainly used to install
further computer viruses on the relevant system.
Boot viruses
They mainly infect the master boot sector of the
computer. They overwrite important information
necessary for the system execution. As a consequence
the computer system cannot be loaded any more.
Bot-Net
A Bot-Net is collection of software bots, which run
autonomously. A Bot-Net can comprise a collection of
cracked machines running programs (usually referred
to as worms, Trojans) under a common command and
control infrastructure. Boot-Nets server various
purposes, including Denial-of-service attacks, etc.,
partly without the affected PC user's knowledge. The
main potential of Bot-Nets is that the networks can
achieve dimensions on thousands of computers and its
bandwidth sum bursts most conventional Internet
accesses.
Dialer
A dialer is a computer program that establishes a
connection to the Internet or to another computer
network through the telephone line or the digital ISDN
network. Fraudsters use dialers to charge users high
rates when dialing up to the Internet without their
knowledge.A dialer can actually strike you with a
internet bill of several lakhs (lol!).
EICAR test file
The EICAR test file is a test pattern that was
developed at the European Institute for Computer
Antivirus Research for the purpose to test the
functions of anti-virus programs.It is a text
file which is 68 characters long and its file
extension is “.COM” all virus scanners should
recognize it as virus.
Exploit
An exploit (vulnerability) is a computer program or
script that takes advantage of a bug, glitch or
vulnerability leading to privilege escalation or
denial of service on a computer system. A form of an
exploit, for example is attacks from the Internet with
the help of manipulated data packages.Exploits are coded
for almost every operating system and is often used by
hackers.
Grayware
Grayware operates in a way similar to malware, but harms
user indirectly. It does not affect the system
functionality as such.Mostly, information on the patterns
of use is collected in order to either sell these data
or to place advertisements systematically.
Hoaxes (Fake alerts)
The users have obtained virus alerts from the Internet for
a few years and alerts against viruses in other networks
that are supposed to spread via email. These alerts are
spread per email with the request that they should be sent
to the highest possible number of colleagues and to other
users, in order to warn everyone against the "danger".
Honeypot
A honeypot is a service, which is installed in a network.
It has the function to monitor a network and to protocol
attacks. This service is unknown to the legitime user -
because of this reason he is never addressed.
Keystroke logging
Keystroke logging is a diagnostic tool used in software
development that captures the user's keystrokes. It can
be useful to determine sources of error in computer
systems and is sometimes used to measure employee
productivity on certain clerical tasks. Like this,
confidential and personal data, such as passwords or
PINs, can be spied & stolen.
Macro viruses
Macro viruses are small programs that are written in the
macro language of an application (e.g. WordBasic under
WinWord 6.0) and that can normally only spread within
documents of this application. Because of this, they are
also called document viruses. In order to be active,
they need that the corresponding applications are
activated and that one of the infected macros has
been executed. They don’t attack executables.
Logic Bomb:
Code which will trigger a particular form of 'attack'
when a Designated condition is met. For instance, a
logic bomb could delete all files on Dec. 5th. Unlike
a virus, a logic bomb does not make copies of itself.
Polymorph viruses
They change their own codes - and are therefore very
hard to detect.
Program viruses
A computer virus is a program that is capable to attach
itself to other programs after being executed and cause
an infection. Viruses multiply themselves unlike logic
bombs and Trojans. In contrast to a worm, a virus always
requires a program as host, where the virus deposits his
virulent code. The program execution of the host itself
is not changed as a rule.
Scareware
The term scareware refers to software which has been
designed with the intent to cause anxiety or panic.
The victim could be tricked and feels threatened and
usually accepts an offer to pay and have the inexistent
threat removed. In some cases the victim is seduced to
cause the attack himself by making him think this
intervention will successfully remove the threat.
(Norton has recently warned it's users against scarewares)
Script viruses
Such viruses are extremely easy to program and they can
spread - if the required technology is on hand - within
a few hours via email round the globe. Script viruses
and worms use a script language such as JavaScript,
VBScript etc. to infiltrate in other new scripts or
to spread by activation of operating system functions.
This frequently happens via email or through the
exchange of files (documents).
Worms
A worm is a program that multiplies itself but that
does not infect the host. Worms can consequently not
form part of other program sequences. Worms are often
the only possibility to infiltrate any kind of damaging
programs on systems with restrictive security measures
and hence preferred by hackers.
Security Privacy Risk (SPR)
The term "SPR/" ("Security or Privacy Risk") refers
to a program which can damage the security of your
system, trigger program activities you do not want
or harm your private environment.
Spyware
Spyware are so called spy programs that intercept
or take partial control of a computer's operation
without the user's informed consent. Spyware is
designed to exploit infected computers for commercial
gain.
Trojan horses
Trojan horses cannot multiply themselves, which
differentiates them from viruses and worms. Most
of them have an interesting name(SEX.EXE or
STARTME.EXE) with the intention to induce the
user to start the Trojan. Immediately after
execution they become active and can, for example
,format the hard drive. A dropper is a special
form of Trojan that 'drops' viruses, i.e. embeds
viruses on the computer system.
Zombie
A Zombie-PC is a computer that is infected with malware
programs and that enables hackers to abuse computers via
remote control for criminal purposes. The affected PC,
for example, can start Denial-of-Service- (DoS)
attacks at command or send spam and phishing emails.
Links
Microsoft Security Tools
McAfee
McAfee AVERT Tools
Virus Tutorial This tutorial, written in every-day language for
the common user, can be either viewed on the web or
downloaded as a PDF file.
Ontrack Virus Tutorial A traditional listing of questions in FAQ manner,
ranging from the definition of a virus, to virus hoaxes.
Anti-virus Tutorial The University of Bristol Computing Service
provides a slideshow of anti-virus information.
Notes:
All information given here is correct to our knowledge.Please support us with your valuable feedback's.
Adware
Adware is software that presents banner ads or in
pop-up windows through a bar that appears often
while browsing. Those advertisements usually can't
be removed and are consequently always visible.
They can lead users to malicious links.
Backdoors
A backdoor can gain access to a computer by going
around the computer access security mechanisms. A
program that is being executed in the background
generally enables the attacker almost unlimited
privilege. User’s personal data can be stolen with
the backdoor's help, but are mainly used to install
further computer viruses on the relevant system.
Boot viruses
They mainly infect the master boot sector of the
computer. They overwrite important information
necessary for the system execution. As a consequence
the computer system cannot be loaded any more.
Bot-Net
A Bot-Net is collection of software bots, which run
autonomously. A Bot-Net can comprise a collection of
cracked machines running programs (usually referred
to as worms, Trojans) under a common command and
control infrastructure. Boot-Nets server various
purposes, including Denial-of-service attacks, etc.,
partly without the affected PC user's knowledge. The
main potential of Bot-Nets is that the networks can
achieve dimensions on thousands of computers and its
bandwidth sum bursts most conventional Internet
accesses.
Dialer
A dialer is a computer program that establishes a
connection to the Internet or to another computer
network through the telephone line or the digital ISDN
network. Fraudsters use dialers to charge users high
rates when dialing up to the Internet without their
knowledge.A dialer can actually strike you with a
internet bill of several lakhs (lol!).
EICAR test file
The EICAR test file is a test pattern that was
developed at the European Institute for Computer
Antivirus Research for the purpose to test the
functions of anti-virus programs.It is a text
file which is 68 characters long and its file
extension is “.COM” all virus scanners should
recognize it as virus.
Exploit
An exploit (vulnerability) is a computer program or
script that takes advantage of a bug, glitch or
vulnerability leading to privilege escalation or
denial of service on a computer system. A form of an
exploit, for example is attacks from the Internet with
the help of manipulated data packages.Exploits are coded
for almost every operating system and is often used by
hackers.
Grayware
Grayware operates in a way similar to malware, but harms
user indirectly. It does not affect the system
functionality as such.Mostly, information on the patterns
of use is collected in order to either sell these data
or to place advertisements systematically.
Hoaxes (Fake alerts)
The users have obtained virus alerts from the Internet for
a few years and alerts against viruses in other networks
that are supposed to spread via email. These alerts are
spread per email with the request that they should be sent
to the highest possible number of colleagues and to other
users, in order to warn everyone against the "danger".
Honeypot
A honeypot is a service, which is installed in a network.
It has the function to monitor a network and to protocol
attacks. This service is unknown to the legitime user -
because of this reason he is never addressed.
Keystroke logging
Keystroke logging is a diagnostic tool used in software
development that captures the user's keystrokes. It can
be useful to determine sources of error in computer
systems and is sometimes used to measure employee
productivity on certain clerical tasks. Like this,
confidential and personal data, such as passwords or
PINs, can be spied & stolen.
Macro viruses
Macro viruses are small programs that are written in the
macro language of an application (e.g. WordBasic under
WinWord 6.0) and that can normally only spread within
documents of this application. Because of this, they are
also called document viruses. In order to be active,
they need that the corresponding applications are
activated and that one of the infected macros has
been executed. They don’t attack executables.
Logic Bomb:
Code which will trigger a particular form of 'attack'
when a Designated condition is met. For instance, a
logic bomb could delete all files on Dec. 5th. Unlike
a virus, a logic bomb does not make copies of itself.
Polymorph viruses
They change their own codes - and are therefore very
hard to detect.
Program viruses
A computer virus is a program that is capable to attach
itself to other programs after being executed and cause
an infection. Viruses multiply themselves unlike logic
bombs and Trojans. In contrast to a worm, a virus always
requires a program as host, where the virus deposits his
virulent code. The program execution of the host itself
is not changed as a rule.
Scareware
The term scareware refers to software which has been
designed with the intent to cause anxiety or panic.
The victim could be tricked and feels threatened and
usually accepts an offer to pay and have the inexistent
threat removed. In some cases the victim is seduced to
cause the attack himself by making him think this
intervention will successfully remove the threat.
(Norton has recently warned it's users against scarewares)
Script viruses
Such viruses are extremely easy to program and they can
spread - if the required technology is on hand - within
a few hours via email round the globe. Script viruses
and worms use a script language such as JavaScript,
VBScript etc. to infiltrate in other new scripts or
to spread by activation of operating system functions.
This frequently happens via email or through the
exchange of files (documents).
Worms
A worm is a program that multiplies itself but that
does not infect the host. Worms can consequently not
form part of other program sequences. Worms are often
the only possibility to infiltrate any kind of damaging
programs on systems with restrictive security measures
and hence preferred by hackers.
Security Privacy Risk (SPR)
The term "SPR/" ("Security or Privacy Risk") refers
to a program which can damage the security of your
system, trigger program activities you do not want
or harm your private environment.
Spyware
Spyware are so called spy programs that intercept
or take partial control of a computer's operation
without the user's informed consent. Spyware is
designed to exploit infected computers for commercial
gain.
Trojan horses
Trojan horses cannot multiply themselves, which
differentiates them from viruses and worms. Most
of them have an interesting name(SEX.EXE or
STARTME.EXE) with the intention to induce the
user to start the Trojan. Immediately after
execution they become active and can, for example
,format the hard drive. A dropper is a special
form of Trojan that 'drops' viruses, i.e. embeds
viruses on the computer system.
Zombie
A Zombie-PC is a computer that is infected with malware
programs and that enables hackers to abuse computers via
remote control for criminal purposes. The affected PC,
for example, can start Denial-of-Service- (DoS)
attacks at command or send spam and phishing emails.
Links
Microsoft Security Tools
McAfee
McAfee AVERT Tools
Virus Tutorial This tutorial, written in every-day language for
the common user, can be either viewed on the web or
downloaded as a PDF file.
Ontrack Virus Tutorial A traditional listing of questions in FAQ manner,
ranging from the definition of a virus, to virus hoaxes.
Anti-virus Tutorial The University of Bristol Computing Service
provides a slideshow of anti-virus information.
Notes:
All information given here is correct to our knowledge.Please support us with your valuable feedback's.
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