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DADDY BOB'S COMPUTER Q & A
August 9 & 16, 2009
Daddybob Note: I'll be on vacation for a
week so this article will suffice for two
weeks.
Q.
Where does all the malware come from and how
does it get on my computer?
A.
Let me first explain what is meant by
malware. Malware, short for MALicious
softWARE, is software designed to infiltrate
or damage a computer system without the
owner's informed consent. The expression is
a general term used by computer
professionals to mean a variety of forms of
hostile, intrusive, or annoying software or
program code.
Software
is considered to be malware if the perceived
intent of its creator is unscrupulous or
does something not intended by the user
rather than any particular feature. Malware
includes computer viruses, worms, trojan
horses, most rootkits, spyware, adware,
crimeware and other malicious and unwanted
software.
During
the 1980s and 1990s, it was usually taken
for granted that malicious programs were
created as a form of vandalism or pranks.
Young programmers writing them just because
they could. More recently, the greater share
of malware programs have been written with a
financial or profit motive in mind; e.g.
forced advertising.
All too
often this is manifested with the malware
author selling his ability to control
infected systems and turn that control into
a source of revenue for him and his
customers.
Although
some malware programs can get on your
computer because they are just very
stealthy, most get there out of greed,
ignorance, neglect, or just indifference on
the part of the computer user.
When we
see something for FREE we tend to jump in
and ask questions later. Someone once said
that nothing in life is free, and that
usually goes double for computer software.
The supplier of any free software usually
wants and gets something in return. This
might be the right to show you advertising
or collect information about you for
whatever reason.
If all
you have to do to get free software is give
up your email address, then it isn't free.
There is no telling what your email address
will be used for but you can expect to
receive an increase of spam at the very
least.
When you
buy a computer, it will usually come with a
"trial" version of some sort of anti-malware
protection. This will almost always be the
top of the provider's product line, more
than you actually need. Then in 30, 60, or
90 days when the trial expires, you are
asked to fork over more than you want to
spend to maintain the protection, so you
don't. You quickly learn to ignore the
reminders that it has expired and that your
computer may be at risk until it is too
late.
Using a computer on
the Internet without a good up to date
anti-malware program is like parking your
brand new red convertible, top down, engine
running with your camera, cell phone and
full bank deposit bag on the front seat in
front of a busy mini-market in the worst
part of any large city while you go in and
get a drink. The results are predictable.
This is especially true if you
have a broadband connection like DSL, cable
or satellite which means that you are always
on and connected.
Most
malware is distributed by email or by going
to a infected web page, but not all. Even if
you do not have your email program open, or
are not in your browser on a web page, you
are still on line and subject to be
infected. Of course, there are websites that
are more prone to contain malware. Any peer
to peer (P2P) network like LimeWire is
highly likely to be malware laden. The same
goes for porn sites.
Social
networks are another good place to pick up
malware. Sites like My Space, Facebook,
Twitter, etc. are good places to get
infected if great care is not exercised.
Being required to download anything like a
special viewer so you can see a highly
desirable movie trailer should be suspect.
More and
more, legit software suppliers are being
enticed (paid) to include something in their
installation programs much less desirable.
These are usually selected for download and
installation by default meaning that you
have to hunt to unselect them. Browser
toolbars are a good example of this.
Although the toolbar may not do any harm,
just the fact that it is possible to
download it without your specific permission
while you think you are getting something
else makes it malware.
So, if it
is so easy to get malware, what is a
computer user to do? Be sure that you have a
good full featured anti-malware program
installed and that it is up to date. These
do not have to cost an arm and leg to be
good. Two good free ones that come to mind
are Avast and AVG free version. I personally
use and highly recommend Avast.
www.avast.com.
Of
course, the user will always be able to
ignore the warning any anti-malware program
tries to alert you to and do what it is
warning against anyway. Just remember, like
fleas on a dog, all it takes is one malware
program getting on your computer to open the
door for many more until the computer
becomes unusable. |
