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9 Common types of computer viruses you need to watch

In an increasingly digital world, securing your financial data is paramount. Discover essential strategies to shield your bank accounts, credit cards, and personal details from cybercriminals. 

Contents

Worms:

Worms are self-replicating viruses that exploit vulnerabilities to spread from computer to computer without any human action.

Unlike other viruses, worms don’t need a host program to propagate; they operate independently.

They can rapidly infect networks and systems, potentially causing widespread damage.

Trojan Horses:

Trojan horses are cunning malware disguised as seemingly harmless programs.

Users unwittingly install them, believing they are legitimate software.

Once activated, Trojan horses can perform various malicious tasks, such as gaining backdoor access to systems, spying on user activity, or stealing sensitive data.

Rootkits:

Rootkits are stealthy viruses that embed themselves deep within a computer’s system.

They remain hidden for extended periods, making them challenging to detect.

Rootkits provide attackers with a secret backdoor into the infected machine, granting control over software and components.

Their primary goal is to gain unauthorised access to sensitive data or launch attacks on other systems.

Logic Bombs:

Logic bombs are malicious code triggered by specific conditions, such as a user logging in or a predetermined date arriving.

When the trigger occurs, the logic bomb executes its payload, which could be anything from data corruption to system disruption.

Polymorphic Viruses:

Polymorphic viruses are shape-shifters—they alter their code to evade detection.

Each time they infect a new host, they modify their appearance, making it difficult for security software to recognise them.

Macro Viruses:

Macro viruses reside within macros (small programs) embedded in documents (e.g., Word or Excel files).

When users open an infected document, the virus spreads.

They often exploit vulnerabilities in office software.

File Infectors:

File infectors target executable files (e.g., .exe, .com, .bat).

They spread when the infected file is opened or executed.

These viruses can corrupt files and compromise system stability.

Boot Sector Viruses:

Boot sector viruses infect a computer’s boot sector (e.g., master boot record or volume boot record).

They activate during system startup, even before the operating system loads.

This makes them challenging to remove.

Adware:

Adware isn’t necessarily a virus but rather a type of software that displays advertising content on a computer.

While not inherently malicious, excessive adware can be annoying and impact system performance.

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Anne-Marie Marketing Communications Manager

Anne-Marie Blazdell

Anne-Marie is Syn-Star’s dedicated Marketing Manager. Her drive for success is matched only by her compassion for the team. Always on hand with useful insights, she is a warm character who is valued by her department. 

Qualifications: BA (hons) Graphic Design

In-house training: HubSpot SEO, Sales, Adobe Suite

Favourite movie: Love Actually

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Contents

Anne-Marie Marketing Communications Manager

Anne-Marie Blazdell

Anne-Marie is Syn-Star’s dedicated Marketing Manager. Her drive for success is matched only by her compassion for the team. Always on hand with useful insights, she is a warm character who is valued by her department. 

Qualifications: BA (hons) Graphic Design

In-house training: HubSpot SEO, Sales, Adobe Suite

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