Viruses, Trojans and Worms, oh my!
Remember when your computer ran quickly? You don’t need to hate your PC just because it runs slow. Have you recently said to yourself or others, “My computer is so slow”, “The network is slow”, or “This application is so slow now”? There are solutions.
In some cases the need to clean up old temp files and running the Defragmentation Tool on your local hard drive is all that is needed. But if you are an internet user, it may be that your PC has been attacked by some form of Malware.
What is Malware? Malware is a term that comes from the combined words “malicious software” and is now the umbrella term more commonly used today. Malware has now replaced the term “virus” that we once used when referring to various infections on a computer.
In today’s more sophisticated world, just being protected from malware is no longer good enough. The following are subcategories of malware you need to be protected from.
- Viruses
- Worms
- Trojans
- Adware and Spyware
- Time Bombs
- Keyloggers
- Rootkits
With all these methods of attack being used to make your life more complicated, there is now a need for more than just Anti-Virus software. Minimum recommended protection would include anti-virus software, Trojan scanners, anti-spyware software and a firewall.
No one product handles all malware well. Security software suites try to do everything for all circumstances, but this may not be good enough. You are likely to need more than one software package.
Other security concerns involve the following:
- Hacking or Network Intrusion
- Denial of Service (DoS attacks)
- DNS Poisoning
A successful firewall implementing Unified Threat Management (UTM) will keep the bad guys from entering your network. UTM is a multi-tiered approach of security for your system. With this approach a firewall is used to knock down trouble before getting into your network then reaching software loaded on your individual computer as a second step of security.
There is much more to be discussed when dealing with computer security. I hope this primer is helpful and will prompt you to re-evaluate your own network. If you would like to discuss your specific situation please feel free to call.
David Moss
Manager, Information Technology
Walz, Deihm, Geisenberger, Bucklen & Tennis, P.C.
717-392-8200
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