Essay( Main body)

What is malware?

Malware is software designed to gain unauthorized access to a computer system, causing damage or disrupting a computer system. According to tech4fresher.comHackers (2022), hackers use harmful software to get into a computer system to destroy or collect personal information. There are five common types of malware;

Ransomware

Ransomware is a type of malware whereby it locks a specific file or data and threatens a user about the file being locked if a given condition is not met by the user, for instance paying a certain amount of money

Spyware

Spyware can be summarised as invisible malware, as this is a type of malware that is hidden and can track data or information to a specific device without being noticed.

Adware.

According to research from Kaspersky (2022), it states that adware, also known as advertisement-supported software, generates revenue for its developers by automatically generating adverts on your screen, usually within a web browser. In simpler terms, adware is a type of malware that displays unnecessary and numerous advertisements while using an electronic device.

Trojan

This is a type of malware that appears to be a program or file that can be trusted, but it is actually malware.

Virus

This is a type of malware that is meant to change the behavior of a computer and is designed to spread this malware to another computer.

How to know an affected computer system.

1). Reduced power performance.

2). Uncertain internet connection

3). Windows is taking too long to load.

4). Unnecessary pop-ups.

5). Denied access to higher-level system control functions.

6). Apps take long to open (Maxim, 2022).

Preventions.

1). Sticking to known sites and downloading files.

2). Using the google search engine.

3). Using strong passwords.

4). By placing the two-factor authentication.

5). counter checking email attachments or links.

Solutions

1). Scan the computer system immediately

2). Using known antiviruses such as Kaspersky and bit defender.

3). Restore clean backups

Reference.

1) TECH4FRESHER (2022) What is malware. [Online]. Available from: https://tech4fresher.com/what-is-malware/ [Accessed date 06/11/2022].

2). KASPERSKY (2022) What is Adware [Online]. Available from: https://www.kaspersky.co.uk/resource-center/threats/adware [Accessed date 28/11/2022].

3). MAXIM (2021) How do I know if my computer is infected by malware. Malware guide. [Online]. Available from: https://malware.guide/article/how-do-i-know-if-my-computer-is-infected-with-malware/