This is a general term that covers all the types of cyber attacks that can occur. Cyber attacks can go unnoticed, causing damage while the user is using the internet without a clue that malware is collecting data. Malware mainly includes stealing sensitive information like credit card info and identity theft.
POS malware specifically targets payment data such as credit card information. All malware is unwelcomed and causes some degree of harm. However, there are certain types of malware that cause more damage than others, It is important to understand them and what they do to a computer. Awareness of the first step to preventing these attacks. A rootkit virus is one of the more unknown types of malware to the average computer user.
It is designed to hide in the computer, going undetected by users and antivirus security programs. The virus disguises itself from antivirus security programs as legitimate files. A more commonly heard type of malware is spyware. Spyware is when hackers can monitor user activity. Hackers can collect keystrokes, account information, logins, passwords, bank information, and more. Spyware can also allow a hacker to change security settings, interfere with network connections, and also change settings to the browser and other software.
Anti-spyware software is essential to tackle this potential problem. A Trojan horse will disguise itself as a legitimate file or program with the sole purpose of getting a user to unknowingly download and install malware.
Once a hacker has successfully infected the computer, it is open for more malware to be installed. The hacker can also monitor the screen, steal sensitive information, change or modify files, monitor keystrokes, continually anonymize themselves, so they remain hidden. A worm is a common type of malware that finds vulnerabilities in a network in order to infiltrate the system.
They are usually attached to files in mass emails. The worm can overload web servers and destroy bandwidths signal transmission capacity. They also carry pieces of code called payloads. Payloads allow the worm to steal sensitive information, data, and also files. Worms self-replicate and spread by themselves. Viruses are the most heard about types of malware. Unlike worms, viruses are spread unknowingly throughout a system or network by the user. They attach themselves to different programs and insert different code.
Hackers can use viruses for a variety of things; it is mainly to destroy a computer or computer system or steal sensitive information.
Phishing is when hackers disguise themselves as a trusted source usually an email and get a user to download an attachment or click a link. This is so the user will not suspect it is a fake website. A denial-of-service attack DoS is when a hacker overloads a website so that legitimate users cannot access it. The websites can be an online bank, email service providers, and other services. DoS attacks can go one step further and become distributed denial-of-service attacks DDoS.
The various types of malware utilized to infiltrate computers require different precautionary security steps to be taken. Sadly, no computer can ever be percent protected from malware for a variety of reasons.
Some reasons are that various software frequently puts out updates, causing older versions to become vulnerable. By injecting a fake root certificate into the Windows certificate store, malicious actors can often fool browsers into trusting a connection to a server operated by an attacker. This is known as certificate root poisoning and is the most commonly used technique for launching man-in-the-middle attacks. The diagram on the right shows a typical man-in-the-middle attack:.
CISE blocks man-in-the-middle attacks attempts by verifying all certificates used for secure connections against Comodo's trusted root certificate list. When you load a web-page, Comodo Internet Security Essentials checks the certificate used by the site is signed by a root in our verified list of root certificates. You will be alerted if the site is using a potentially fraudulent certificate.
Use the Settings tab to schedule a scan, set default actions, turn on or off real-time protection, exclude files, folders or processes, and manage Microsoft SpyNet membership. For more information, see Changing settings in Microsoft Security Essentials.
Figure : Settings tab. Changing settings in Microsoft Security Essentials On the Settings tab, you can schedule a scan, set default actions, turn on or off real-time protection, exclude files, folders or processes, and manage Microsoft SpyNet membership.
Use the following sections to change Security Essentials settings. Changing scheduled scans in Microsoft Security Essentials Microsoft Security Essentials can run scheduled scans once a week. Follow these steps to change the scan type, day of week, or time of day:. Setting default actions in Microsoft Security Essentials Microsoft Security Essentials can automatically deal with security threats.
Follow these steps to set the default actions that Security Essentials performs when it detects potential security threats:. Figure : Default actions. For each alert level, select the action for Security Essentials to perform Recommended action , Remove , or Quarantine. Changing real-time protection settings in Microsoft Security Essentials Real-time protection alerts you to potentially dangerous software as it attempts to install itself or run on your computer.
Follow these steps to turn on or off real-time protection and change protection settings:. Click Real-time protection. Figure : Real-time protection settings. Turn on or off real-time protection and choose whether Security Essentials monitors file and program activity and scans downloads.
Excluding files and locations when scanning in Microsoft Security Essentials You can exclude certain files and locations to speed up security scans. However, doing so may leave your computer less protected against security threats. Follow these steps to exclude files and folders from scans:.
Click Excluded files and locations. Figure : Excluded files and locations. Browse to a drive, folder or file that you want to exclude from security scans, and then click OK.
Excluding file types when scanning in Microsoft Security Essentials You can exclude certain file types to speed up security scans. Follow these steps to exclude certain file types from scans:. Figure : Excluded file types. Enter a file type for example,. Excluding processes when scanning in Microsoft Security Essentials You can exclude certain processes ending in.
Follow these steps to exclude certain processes from scans:. Figure : Excluded processes. Browse to a process ending in. Changing advanced settings in Microsoft Security Essentials Microsoft Security Essentials allows you to change advanced settings, such as whether to scan archives and removable drives, create system restore points before cleaning the computer, and allow users to view the history.
Follow these steps to change advanced settings:. Figure : Advanced settings. Setting the Microsoft SpyNet membership level SpyNet is a Microsoft online community that collects information about potential threats.
With basic membership, the information can include where the software came from, actions taken, and whether the actions were successful. With advanced membership, Security Essentials sends all of the basic information plus the location of the software on the computer, the file names, how the software operates and the impact to the computer.
Figure : Microsoft SpyNet settings.
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