What are the Symptomps of Spyware Infection?
What are the symptoms of spyware infection?
There are many different types of spyware, each with its own behaviors and symptoms. However, there are some common symptoms that are associated with spyware infection. These include:
-Slow performance: Spyware can bog down your computer’s processing power, resulting in slow performance.
-Error messages: Some spyware programs will generate error messages or pop-ups.
-Changes to your homepage or default search engine: Spyware can change your browser’s homepage or default search engine without your permission.
-Unexplained ads or new toolbars: Spyware can generate unwanted ads or install new toolbars in your browser without your permission.
-Unwanted software: Spyware can install other unwanted programs on your computer without your permission.
If you suspect that your computer is infected with spyware, you can use an anti-spyware program to scan your system and remove the offending software..Visit Here
What is a Worm?
What is a Worm?
A worm is a type of malware that is able to spread itself and cause damage. Unlike viruses, which require a host program to spread, worms can spread themselves. Damage caused by worms can include deleting files, Reformatting hard drives, and using a computer to attack other computers.
Worms usually spread by taking advantage of vulnerabilities in operating systems. For example, the Code Red worm exploited a vulnerability in Microsoft’s IIS web server software to spread itself. Once a worm is on a system, it can use that system to scan for other vulnerable systems and spread itself to those systems as well.
While many worms cause damage, some worms are designed to spread without causing damage. These worms, known as distributed denial of service (DDoS) worms, can create a large number of infected computers, known as a botnet, which can be used to launch denial of service attacks against websites or other systems.
History
The first worm was created in the 1970s by Bob Thomas. Thomas’s worm was designed to spread itself between DEC minicomputers. Unlike today’s worms, which take advantage of vulnerabilities, Thomas’s worm simply copied itself to any system that it could connect to.
While early worms were not malicious, the same cannot be said of all worms. In 1988, the Morris worm caused damage to tens of thousands of computer systems. The Morris worm was created by a graduate student, Robert Tappan Morris, as an experiment. However, the worm had a flaw that caused it to spread much faster than Morris intended, leading to damage.
In 2001, the Code Red worm spread quickly across the internet, infecting hundreds of thousands of systems. The worm took advantage of a vulnerability in Microsoft’s IIS web server software to spread itself. The worm also had the ability to launch denial of service attacks against websites, including the website of the White House.
In 2003, the Slammer worm caused a denial of service attack against the internet itself. The Slammer worm spread quickly, infecting more than 75,000 systems in just 10 minutes. The worm caused such a large amount of traffic that it overloaded network equipment and caused a temporary shutdown of the internet.
In 2010, the Stuxnet worm was discovered. The Stuxnet worm was designed to attack industrial control systems, such as those used in nuclear facilities. The worm was believed to be the work of a nation state, due to its complexity.
While worms can cause damage, some worms are created for beneficial purposes. In 2007, the Linux.Darlloz worm was discovered. The Linux.Darlloz worm spread itself to devices running the Linux operating system. The worm did not cause any damage, but did add a user named “Darlloz” to each system it infected.
How to Protect Against Worms
Worms can cause significant damage, so it is important to protect your computer against them. The best way to protect your computer is to keep your operating system and software up to date. When a new worm is discovered, the chances are that there is already a patch available to fix the vulnerability that the worm is exploiting.
Another way to protect your computer is to use a firewall. A firewall can help to prevent worms from spreading by blocking incoming and outgoing connections that are not authorized.
When using a computer that is connected to the internet, it is important to be cautious. Do not open email attachments from people you do not know and do not download software from untrustworthy websites.
References
What Is a Computer Worm? – Definition from Techopedia. (n.d.). Retrieved March 31, 2020, from https://www.techopedia.com/definition/5441/computer-worm
Worm. (n.d.). Retrieved March 31, 2020, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worm_(malware)
How to Protect Against Worms. (n.d.). Retrieved March 31, 2020, from https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-protect-against-worms-2487230
Visit malwarezero.org to learn more about types of spyware. Disclaimer: We used this website as a reference for this blog post.