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Malware Myths! How many times did your mom call you because a scammer told her on the phone that her PC had a virus?
She doesn't even have a PC, but what does it matter if the thought of a virus makes her panic? Even the tech-savvy among us are no stranger to malware myths. Some of these myths make no sense at all. So today we're going to look at the worst of them and uncover the truth.
1. Viruses Are Worse than Malware.
3. Malware Is Developed by Companies that Sell Anti-Malware Software.
4. Malware Can't Harm Me if There Are No Important Things on My Computer.
5. You Can Tell When You Have a Virus or Malware on Your Computer.
6. Viruses Cause Physical Damage to The Affected Computer.
8. Pop-Up Windows Are Malware.
9. Firewalls Protect Against Malware.
10. Email Attachments from Friends or Family Members Are Safe.
1. Viruses Are Worse than Malware.
No.
By definition, malware (also known as malware or malware) is simply malicious
software. So viruses are actually just a specific type of
malware. Many people believe that malware is harmless, but viruses
inevitably destroy their computers.
The truth: Viruses are just a type of malware.
2. Macs Cannot Get Viruses.
That is not completely correct!
Macs cannot be affected by viruses that target Windows systems, but if you
think Macs are generally not susceptible to viruses, you can get into trouble
very quickly. One of the first viruses to be widely circulated was designed for
Apple computers. It was called Elk Cloner and it was written by a fifteen-year-old back in 1982.
In recent years, a type of malware known as spyware has become very popular
with hackers. When spyware gets on your computer, it is spying on your
data. Think of it this way: you have a diary (the computer) and your
curious siblings (the spyware) manage to unlock your diary and learn all of
your secrets.
You might tell yourself your Mac is malware-free, but the reality is different:
If you're not careful, your Mac can get infected, which can result in a hacker
hacking your banking and login details Steal accounts and other information
you've entered into your computer. Oh no!
The truth: Macs can get viruses too.
3. Malware Is Developed by Companies that Sell Anti-Malware Software.
There is an old myth that antivirus companies are actually responsible
for the malware that the software they distribute is designed to protect
against.
There is no evidence to support this conspiracy theory. The myth
relates to a specific type of malware that was popular around the turn of the
millennium: a pop-up window on a website reported that there were viruses or
other malicious software on your computer. Clicking the link actually
downloaded a virus to your computer. Sneaky!
Hackers also developed antivirus software of their own, with the intent
of stealing money from those who used the software. It still happens: you
are surfing the internet and an image starts flashing in your browser
indicating an infection.
Most Internet users now know that trustworthy antivirus software is essential to keep their computer or laptop running.
The truth: anti-malware companies don't create malware.
4. Malware Can't Harm Me if There Are No Important Things on My Computer.
Do you remember the spyware we mentioned earlier? She is quite
awkward and can track anything you type. It can steal your bank account
details, contacts, and other valuable information. Pretty scary isn't it?
Even if you don't have any documents or files that you want to keep safe, you
probably use the internet for browsing, online banking, and online
shopping. In all of these activities, you enter important information into
your browser. While you don't need to press the panic button now, it is
always best to give your computer a regular security scan to ensure that your
personal information remains private.
The Truth: Some types of malware steal information directly from your browser
or from other programs, you type into.
5. You Can Tell When You Have a Virus or Malware on Your Computer.
In 2007 the "Storm" worm was
unleashed on the Internet. Disguised as breaking news about bad weather in Europe, the worm infected millions of PCs. Worms
travel through the online network and find their way onto computers when users
opened the message.
Millions of PCs have been hijacked by hackers who spread spam and sold
identities. Pretty scary! You might think that a virus catches your
eye immediately, but many of them, like the Storm worm, are subtle.
The Truth: Malware can be very nifty so you won't necessarily know if your computer is infected.
6. Viruses Cause Physical Damage to The Affected Computer.
No, a virus or malware won't explode your laptop, melt your hard drive,
or let your mouse jump wildly across the screen. Viruses and malware
affect your laptop on different levels: sometimes only superficially and
sometimes down to the BIOS level. The BIOS contains the firmware
instructions for controlling input and output processes.
Wait a minute ... what?
Your laptop or computer has BIOS installed for almost everything, from the
mouse to the screen. This BIOS is on a chip in your computer and tells the
operating system (Mac or Windows) what to do with hardware (e.g. mouse or
speakers). If a virus has infected your BIOS, your computer will act very
strangely (or stop working at all).
The Truth: Malware cannot physically harm your computer.
7. Malware Is Malware-Blame to Blame.
The thing about it usually relates to popups and websites with
pornographic content. But viruses or malware didn't get you
there. Pop-up windows are often accidentally opened, but it probably
wasn't a virus that brought your browser to this particular URL.
The Truth: Nobody Believes You!
8. Pop-Up Windows Are Malware.
Pop-up windows in your browser are likely not malware. They appear
on certain websites and are usually more disruptive than dangerous. Tip:
Do not click on pop-up messages even if they say you have won the
lottery. Do you even play the lottery? Just.
Return to the last screen you viewed.
If you are online and visit a website that has bright green links all over the
place, or strange ads in places where they normally don't appear, your computer
is likely infected with malware.
If you think you have been infected with malware, run your antivirus software
and uninstall any recently added programs.
How to Uninstall
Programs on Mac
1. Open the Applications folder and find the program you want to
uninstall. Some files like Safari only show a single icon while others
like Word are in a folder.
2. Drag the program to the trash.
3. Empty the trash!
How to Uninstall
Programs on Windows
1. Click the "Start" button, then click "Control
Panel".
2. Click Programs, and then click Programs and Features.
3. Select or right-click a program, then click Uninstall.
9. Firewalls Protect Against Malware.
This is a popular myth that has gained credibility through film and
television. You know how it is: our hero is ten seconds away from being
torn to pieces and a hacker is stopped by Bruce Willis mentioning a firewall.
Firewalls usually do not protect you from malware. A firewall offers
protection against worms. "Worms" may sound cute, but they are
by no means cute! Worms travel from computer to computer over the
Internet. That's why your firewall can lock them out.
Of course, that doesn't mean you should ignore your firewall. Make It
Work!
Truth: Firewalls only protect you from one type of malware, called
"worms".
10. Email Attachments from Friends or Family Members Are Safe.
Most of the time, there is actually nothing to fear from email
attachments. The majority of Internet users are savvy enough not to open
attachments from strangers as they could contain a virus. Our security is
often more at risk when it comes to opening attachments from senders whom we
trust.
If a document is attached to an email with your partner's name, it doesn't
automatically mean that the attachment is safe or that it really came from your
partner.
Sometimes login information is accidentally given out and a spammer uses it to
send emails. Usually, these emails are pretty obvious due to linguistic
errors and strange links and attachments. But you never know.
Don't click on it, even out of curiosity. Curiosity kills a cat, and it
could hit your computer too.
If you're unsure about an attachment or link in an email from someone you know,
you can ask them about it or do a quick security check. A good rule of
thumb is to look at the file extension.
A file extension tells you what type of file it is and which program is used to
open the file. For example, .docx is a file type for Microsoft Word, while
.jpg is an image file type.
Never download a .exe file if you are unsure what it is. A .exe file is
an executable file that starts a program or installer after you download
it. The file extensions are usually displayed in the inbox. With
Gmail you have to hold the mouse over the attachment.
Be especially careful with files with names like .docx.exe as they have been
renamed by the sender to keep them safe. The only part of the expansion
that matters is the last. In the example .docx.exe it is an
executable file with the extension .exe.
The Truth: It's not always safe to open email attachments from senders you
know.
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