Antivirus software is one of the most important tools to protect your computer and personal information from viruses, worms and trojans. Although software does not guarantee 100% protection, it does provide the necessary protection with regular updates and safe browsing practices.
The Internet is not a secure place and even the most tech-savvy and cautious Internet users are susceptible to infection. If you visit harmful phishing websites or download uncertain files, you put your computer at the risk of acquiring malware. Not all malware are distributed via the Internet and associated applications, but also through removable media such as USBs, CDs and DVDs.
It is important to remember that malware is man-made with the intention of scamming, destroying and hacking another computer. It is therefore essential to regularly update all antivirus software to combat the ever present threat of malware that is created daily.
So what types of malware can we encounter?
- Viruses – There are various types of computer viruses and are quite tricky to detect. Viruses tend to hide in existing program files and then spread to other programs.
- Spyware – Spyware malware is a way to steal your personal information like passwords, bank details and addresses.
- Trojans – Trojans are similar to viruses in many ways in that they a tricky to detect, they however do not replicate and spread to other programs.
- Worms – Worms are standalone viruses that spread automatically to other networks.
- Rootkit – A rootkit gets activated each time the system boots up. The malware is difficult to detect because they are activated before an operating system has completely booted up.
- Keyloggers – Keylogger malware is similar to that of spyware, in that they collect personal information. The usually encrypted surveillance software has the capability to record every keystroke used to make a log file.
- Adware – Adware are pop-up advertisements created to generate revenue. These are not as dangerous as they appear in the user interface of the software or on a screen during the installation process.
With the amount of potential malicious software waiting to infect your system, installing and most importantly updating antivirus software is of utmost importance to computer security. Best Internet browsing practices is recommended along with the use of secure passwords, which are relatively long and ideally contain a combination of numbers, letters and symbols. At Webafrica we’ve got you covered – offering you ESET antivirus software packages that are tailored to your protection needs as well as your budget.
