Demystifying and Preventing Malware

Each time you start your computer, go online and surf the Internet, the chances of being infected by malware increase at an alarming rate. According to Symantec (2008), the rate at which malware is being released may exceed the number of legitimate software releases.

Before surfing the Web, it is beneficial to know exactly what malware is and how to prevent it from being installed onto your computer.

What is Malware?

The term malware is actually short for malicious software. Malware is software whose sole purpose is to infiltrate and damage computer systems without the owner being aware of its existence. Malware has several specific types of software included under its umbrella name – computer viruses, rootkits, spyware, adware, worms and trojan horses are just a few.

Malware can be confused on occasion with defective software. When a piece of legitimate software programming does not work properly, this is due to possibly harmful bugs and should not be considered malware. This is, however, not to say that malware cannot be the culprit of a dysfunctional computer, however, detection by appropriate software is always recommended.

The purpose of malware ranges from practical jokes to spyware that secretly monitors users’ browsing habits and even keystroke logging. Increasingly more prevalent these days are malware programs designed with profit in mind. These types of attacks come in the form of email spam and denial of service attacks with extortion in mind.

How to Prevent the Installation of Malware

The only way to prevent an infestation of malware on your computer is by installing and running a good, quality, anti-malware program. These programs provide real time protection of the computer against unwanted malware installation. They work in the same way as anti-virus protection programs do by scanning all incoming data from the computer’s network connection and blocking any potential threats.

Additionally, anti-malware programs scan the computer system for any existing pieces of malware software. They scan the Windows registry, currently installed programs, and OS files. If any malware software is present, the user is immediately alerted with a list of all threats and an option to immediately remove all unwanted files or compare them to lists of known malware components and files.

One of the first anti-malware programs available to the public and considered to be the top program in its class is Ad-Aware. This program is completely free of charge and is very simple to install. It works with Windows 7, Windows Vista, XP, and 2000. CNET rated this anti-malware software with 4.5 stars out of 5. While the free version offers rootkit malware detection, it does not offer real time registry protection.

Protect Yourself or Fall Victim

Simply put, some form of anti-malware protection should be in place whenever a computer is going to be used to surf the Internet. Malware is growing at an alarming rate. The longer one goes without some form of protection on a computer the chances of being infected rise exponentially. Protect yourself now against with a Recommended Anti-Malware Program!

Peter Herme is a computer system administrator with over 20 years of experience. After his very own PC was infected with spyware and losing years worth of personal files, he has vowed never to let something like that happen to him or other computer users again. As a result, he tried out various antispyware programs and learned how to properly secure his computer from spyware, malware, adware, viruses, and other computer attacks. His website details his research and is constantly updated with tips on preventing and removing spyware:

http://www.spywarefixpro.com

He knows the feeling of having your computer infected and at risk of losing your personal data. He hopes his advice will help and educate you.

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