Do you have a Virus or Spyware?
What's the difference?
Is your computer infested with pop-up ads, new toolbars in your browser, has your home page changed or is it constantly bombarding you with irritating spam? Perhaps your computer is running very slow or even worse, you can't get on the internet. If so, your PC is most likely infected with spyware, adware, trojans, or some unwanted virus.
What is Spyware?
Spyware is short for what is known as advertising supported software or Adware. This software sends information about your internet habits back to the computer from where it came. This Spyware is often delivered by means of free downloads and works in the background without a user's knowledge or consent. Since it doesn't record your personal information, it's often used to create profiles based on the users surfing habits.
What does Spyware do?
It may be great for the advertising companies to install tracking software onto your system. And they say that no sensitive data will be sent to them, it still is a fact that you have a server sending your information and surfing habits to an unknown location. Not a comfortable feeling.
Is Spyware Illegal?
Spyware is not an illegal. However certain issues that user may object to and therefore choose not to use the product. Tracking and sending of data and statistics via a server installed on the user's PC and the use of your Internet connection in the background. These tools are perfectly legal in most places, but, just like an ordinary voice recorder, if abused, they can seriously violate your privacy.
What is Malware?
Malware, short for malicious software, refers to any malicious or unexpected program or code such as viruses, and trojans.
What is a Virus?
A computer virus is a program of executable code that has the ability to replicate. Like a biological virus, computer viruses can spread quickly and are often difficult to remove. They can attach themselves to just about any type of file and are spread as files that are copied and sent from one person to another. Some computer viruses can also destroy files, reformat your hard drive, or cause other damage. If the virus does not contain a damage routine, it can cause trouble by consuming storage space and memory, and degrading the overall performance and resources of your computer.
The Internet has introduced new virus distribution mechanisms. With email now used as an essential business communication tool, viruses are spreading faster than ever. Viruses attached to email messages can infect an entire network or your computer in minutes costing companies countless millions of dollars a year in lost productivity and virus removal expenses.
Viruses won't go away anytime soon! More than 80,000 viruses have been identified, and new viruses are created every day, according to the International Computer Security Association.
What Is a Trojan?
A trojan is malware that performs unexpected or unauthorized, often malicious, actions to take place. The main difference between a trojan and a virus is the inability to replicate. Trojans cause damage, unexpected system behavior, and worse compromise the security of systems, but do not replicate. If it replicates, then it should be classified as a virus.
A trojan, coined from Greek mythology's trojan horse, typically comes in good packaging but has some hidden malicious intent within its code. When a trojan is executed users will likely experience unwanted system problems in operation, and sometimes loss of valuable data.
If you are experiencing any of the above mentioned problems.
Contact CWS. We can help!!!