Systems Plus Computer College

Malware viruses

Virus are a type of malware that often take the form of a piece of code inserted in an application, program, or system. Among the most common types of malware, viruses are similar to bodily viruses in that they require a host, meaning a device, to live. They lie dormant until triggered to attack, perhaps by users downloading an email attachment.

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Worm malware

Worms are a type of malware that replicates itself. Unlike viruses, worm malware can copy itself without any human interaction. Worms can be transmitted via software vulnerabilities or can arrive as attachments in emails or direct messages. Once opened, these files could provide a link to a malicious website or automatically download the computer worm.

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Trojan malware

Trojans are a type of malware disguised as bona fide software, applications, or files to deceive users into downloading it. Once installed, a trojan can perform the action it was designed for, be it to damage, disrupt, steal, or inflict some other harmful action on your data or network.

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Ransomware

Ransomware is a type of malware that locks and encrypts a victim's device or data and demands a ransom to restore access. It's often the result of victims mistakenly downloading this malware type through email attachments or links from unknown sources. Worth noting is ransomware is increasingly being paid in cryptocurrency and this is sometimes referred to as crypto-malware.

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Bots or botnets

Botnets are a type of malware that gain access to devices through a piece of malicious coding. In some cases, botnets directly hack devices, with cybercriminals even taking remote control of devices. Other times, the bots might act more as a "spider," meaning a program that crawls the internet looking for holes in security infrastructures.

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Adware malware

Adware, as the name indicates, is malware that involves advertising. Adware displays unwanted advertisements on your computer, sometimes in the form of pop-up ads that track users' browsing activity. Where adware can go wrong is when these ads collecting your data with malicious intent, be it to sell it to third parties or leverage it for identity theft or credit card fraud.

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Spyware

Spyware is a type of malware that infiltrates devices without the owner's knowledge. This can be for the purpose of spying on internet activity, tracking log in and password information, or collecting sensitive information. Adware, trojan malware, and tracking cookies could all be considered types of spyware.

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Rootkits

Rootkits are a type of malware that grants cybercriminals remote control of victims' devices. They can hijack or subvert security software and can live on your computer for a long time causing significant damage. These types of malware is often spread through phishing and malicious downloads or attachments.

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Fileless malware

Fileless malware uses software, applications, and protocols already built-in or native to device operating systems to install and execute malicious activities. This type of malware is memory-based, not file-based. Fileless malware piggybacks on legitimate scripts by executing malicious activity while the legitimate programs continue to run.

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Malvertising

Malvertising is a type of malware that comes from ads on legitimate websites. It is not to be confused with adware, which is malware that is already on your device. Malvertising can be caused by clicking on an infected ad or downloading a corrupted drive-by download.

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SMS Trojans

SMS Trojans They may seem like a relic from another century, yet they are still active and pose a significant threat. SMS Trojans such as the Android malware Faketoken can work in different ways. Faketoken, for example, sends mass SMS messages to expensive international numbers and disguises itself in the system as a standard SMS app. The smartphone owner has to pay the costs for this. Other SMS Trojans establish connections to expensive premium SMS services.

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Bugs

A type of error, flaw or failure that produces an undesirable or unexpected result. Bugs typically exist in a website's source code and can cause a wide range of damage.

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Payload Worms

This type of worm is a hybrid that both actively tries to search out new devices and install malware once it has breached the system. Hackers can use this type of hybrid worm to read or delete files or to install adware, spyware, or viruses. Cryptoworms

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Ticketing bots

The bots are designed to imitate human behavior as humans buying tickets. This kind of ticket purchase is considered to be illegal in some countries though it is not prohibited under the law, although it is frowned upon in others.

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Backdoor

It gives malicious users remote access over the infected computer. They can do whatever they want such as sending, receiving, launching and deleting files, displaying data and rebooting the endpoint.

Types of Malware