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Spyware, Malware, Drive-by
Downloads, Browser Hijacking
a virus, Trojan or worm is a small
program written to cause harm to one or more computers or networks. A
Virus, Worm or Trojan can also be designed to retrieve information from
your computer to be delivered to an attacker for future use. For example
credit card information, passwords, and security access codes to name a
few.
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ActiveX Malicious Code controls
allow Web developers to create interactive, dynamic Web pages with
broader functionality such as
HouseCall,
Trend Micro's free on-line scanner. An ActiveX control is a component
object embedded in a Web page which runs automatically when the page is
viewed. In many cases, the Web browser can be configured so that these
ActiveX controls do not execute by changing the browser's security
settings to "high." However, hackers, virus writers, and others who wish
to cause mischief or worse may use ActiveX malicious code as a vehicle
to attack the system. To remove malicious ActiveX controls, you just
need to delete them.
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Browser Hijacking here is a
despicable trend that is becoming more and more common where the browser
settings of web surfers are being forcibly hijacked by malicious web
sites and software which modifies your default start and search pages.
Sometimes internet shortcuts will be added to your favorites folder
without asking you. The purpose of this is force you to visit a web site
of the hijacker's choice so that they can artificially inflate their web
site's traffic for higher advertising revenues.
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Dialers are Trojans that, upon
execution, connect the system to a pay-per-call location in which the
unsuspecting user is billed for the call without his/her knowledge.
Dialers often arrive in porn-related or other enticing service-related
applications.
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Drive-by downloads is a program that
is automatically downloaded to your computer, without your consent or
even your knowledge. This is carried out invisibly to the user: it can
be initiated by simply visiting a Web site or viewing an HTML e-mail
message. Frequently, a drive-by download is installed along with another
application. For example, a file sharing program might include downloads
for a spyware program that tracks and reports user information for
targeted marketing purposes, and an adware program that generates pop-up
advertisements using that information. If your computer's security
settings are lax, it may be possible for drive-by downloads to occur
without any action on your part.
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Java Malicious Code are java applets
allow Web developers to create interactive, dynamic Web pages with
broader functionality. Java applets are small, portable Java programs
embedded in HTML pages. They can run automatically when the pages are
viewed. However, hackers and virus writers may use Java malicious code
as a vehicle to attack the system. In many cases, the Web browser can be
configured so that these applets do not execute by changing the
browser's security settings to "high." HTML viruses use the scripts
embedded in HTML files to do their damage. These embedded scripts
automatically execute the moment the HTML page is viewed from a
script-enabled browser. HTML refers to the technical name for a webpage.
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Keyloggers are Trojans that, upon execution, log every
keystroke or activity in a system. Although similar to third-party
parenting/monitoring software, some malware actually employ the same
technique to gather valuable data from unsuspecting users.
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Malware is a general term used
to refer to any unexpected or malicious programs or mobile codes such as
viruses, Trojan, worm, or Joke programs.
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Proof of concept is a virus or
Trojan indicates that something is new or that it has never seen before.
For example, VBS_Bubbleboy was a proof of concept worm, as it was the
first email worm to automatically execute without requiring a user to
double-click on an attachment. Most proof of concept viruses are never
seen in-the-wild. However, virus writers will often take the idea (and
code) from a proof of concept virus and implement it in future viruses.
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Spyware is a software
applications that monitors a user’s computing habits and personal
information and sends this information to third parties without the
user’s authorization or knowledge. |