VIRUSES, TROJANS, WORMS, SPYWARE
Today we're covering some of the unsavoury aspects of the internet, bad things that might happen to your computer (and to you). This session was prepared for the May 2005 meeting of the NP GCG.
This session describes some of the nasties out there on the internet, the damage they might cause to your computer and what you can do about it. But keep things in perspective - it is not so bad. Cyberspace is just like other parts of life today. You have to know what hazards there are, and you have to take suitable precautions to keep yourself safe.
File Types
First, we cover some background. To understand what malware does, and what you can do about it, it helps to know a bit about the different types of files.
Types of Malware
When talking about computer nasties, there are a lot of terms used. These include terms such as virus, trojan, worm, spyware. We describe these and other types of malware and computer attacks.
Some Examples
To show what various types of malware do, we will look at some examples.
What You Can Do
Fortunately, there are several protective measures you can take to reduce your exposure to risk.