Common Threats to Your PC
Spam describes any unsolicited communication—sent either via email or instant message (IM)—intended for commercial gain. The term spam encompasses a broad array of activities, many of which—such as the distribution of phishing emails. Recently, image spam—spam that displays its message in an image rather than in body text—has emerged in an effort to evade detection. Spammers also randomize these images using different sizes, backgrounds, and borders to prevent being blocked by spam signatures. Spyware and adware are closely related threats. Spyware is any piece of software, installed or employed without your knowledge, that watches, logs, and reports on your electronic movements. Commercial spyware sells the information it collects to marketing entities; criminal spyware uses it to steal your identity—one of the most powerful threats facing consumers today. » Learn more about spyware and adware Phishing is any attempt-via phone, email, instant messaging (IM), or fax-to procure your personally identifiable information with the intent of stealing your identity (and, ultimately, your money). Most of these attempts are in the guise of a legitimate purpose; in other words, they appear to be valid, yet are indeed a criminal enterprise. Crimeware is an overall term that describes software used for financial theft. Crimeware can spread via almost any threat vector - including viruses/Trojan horse programs/worms, spyware/adware, and others - and comprises bots, botnets, and ransomware. Malware is generally described as a software program that is surreptitiously and discreetly placed on a user’s computer that performs unexpected or unauthorized, but always malicious, actions. It is a common term used to refer to viruses, Trojan horse programs, and worms. |
