Malware: Identifying the Infection

A common misconception among PC users is to use the terms adware, spyware, virus, worm, or Trojan interchangeably. However, the only relatable aspect between them falls within their classification as being a type of malware. Malware, short for malicious software, refers to software that exists to compromise a computer or network through forms of subterfuge, stealing, sabotage, or spying while at times demonstrating the ability to cover the span of multiple computers or an entire network.

Here are some common types of malware with their identifying traits:

Virus

While known for working in obscurity, viruses have featured in the spotlight for numerous years. Viruses are executable in nature which gives them a wide array of computer programs to infect. Once the user executes an infected program, the virus replicates and spreads to target other programs. In the worst case scenario, entire systems may be rendered completely unusable.

Trojan Horse

Living up to its namesake, a Trojan Horse adopts the guise of software that seems useful and safe to be downloaded and executed. On being executed, a backdoor is created to give unauthorized access to malicious users. This opens up the possibilities for further exploitation by means of the monitoring of user actions, loss of private information and installation of other types of malware.

Worm

Unlike viruses, worms are able to replicate and spread independently. They mainly target computer networks with the most common method of propagation being via email that contains infected attachments. Signs of infection can range from the increased consumption of systems resources like bandwidth, overloading web servers and the injection of a type of code called a payload which steals data and deletes various files.

Spyware

This type of software was designed to monitor a user’s actions and transmit the data to an unknown third party. These can range from web based activities to personal information such as passwords and banking information. A system afflicted with a Trojan Horse is vulnerable to repeated installations of spyware.

Adware (advertising- supported software)

Examples of adware can be observed on a daily basis via pop up advertisements that feature on websites or are included in free versions of downloadable software. In these situations, they are generally affiliated with advertisers who use the advertisements as a method to generate revenue. In the event that malicious adware is installed on a user’s computer, it shows signs similar to that of spyware. A user’s web browser preferences are collected and repeated attempts to access various websites will be redirected to pop-up advertisements or even totally different websites.

Over the course of time, just as security solutions have become more sophisticated, so too have their malicious counterparts in malware. They can appear with different variations to evasion, propagation and even combine features of different malware types. Where prevention fall short, the process of identification is key to recovering from the attacks of malicious software.

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