The online security problems facing home users and small businesses are different from those facing larger companies and corporations. Here’s a list of threats you may encounter:

• Malware: Is the generic name for all malicious software. Some people also talk of greyware which refers to software that’s annoying rather than dangerous.
• Virus: A small program designed to automatically copy itself from one computer to another. Viruses are attached to other pieces of software or hidden inside images, games and music files. They usually travel from machine to machine by email, instant messaging or file transfers. Although some viruses are harmless, most are disruptive, the worst can stop a PC from working.
• Worm: Also a self-replicating program, but unlike viruses, worms can automatically travel from machine to machine without being attached to other pieces of software. This means in addition to any other damage they slow networks because they can consume bandwidth.
• Trojan: The name given to a program which looks harmless, but has an unexpected malicious purpose. Some start their mischief immediately they are loaded, others may wait for a period of time, possibly collecting data without the computer owner’s knowledge.
• Spyware: A program designed to collect information about a computer and its user that the spyware author can use to make money. Typically spyware may monitor your web browsing and target pop-up advertising at you or divert you to other web sites.
• Rootkit: A program designed to modify a computer’s operating system to hide the behaviour of other malware.
• Keylogger: Software that collects keyboard input – possibly to collect passwords or important account information. Keyloggers can then send this information back to criminals allowing them to impersonate users and, for example, robbing their online banking accounts.
• Botnet: Programs used to control, update or trigger activity in previously infected systems.
• Backdoor: A way of getting undetected access to a computer system.
• Zombie: A computer being controlled by another user to perform some malicious online tasks.
• Spam: Unwanted email, instant messages or other form of electronic communication. Spam clogs email inboxes and the sheer volume of spam (as much as 95% of all email traffic) slows networks.
• Phishing: is when someone fraudulently tries to get hold of important information such as passwords and bank account details by pretending to be a trustworthy source. Phishers may send authentic-looking emails asking for the data or with links to a fake web site.
• Adware: Strictly speaking this isn’t a threat, but an annoyance. It refers to any software that bombards you with unwanted advertising.

Computer security guide: 1 introduction
Computer security guide: 3 defensive software
Computer security guide: 4 how to buy security tools
Computer security guide: 5 what to buy or download for free

Related articles by Zemanta

• A Deep Insight Into “Malwares” (techpluto.com)
• The Riskiest Search Terms On The Internet | WebProNews (menson.wordpress.com)
• Is there an actual virus in the viral video of Erin Andrews? (hubdub.com)
• Consumer Reports: Boomtime for cybercrime (seattlepi.com)

It’s not a question of whether the virus-writers, phishers, spam merchants and other assorted online nuisances are targeting your PC, your money and your privacy, it’s a question of how successful they will be.

Your computer and your data are potentially vulnerable from the moment you hit the on button. The threats multiply when you go online. While there’s no sure way to make your system safe, there’s plenty you can do to minimise the risks.

The Big Picture
The risks are real. At the less worrying end of the spectrum, unscrupulous neighbours might hop onto to your wireless router so they can surf the web on your ISP account or pranksters may load your PC with troublesome viruses.

There are people, including in some cases seemingly respectable companies, who want to spy on your online activities. More seriously, there are crooks who’d like to control your computer so they can suck money from your bank accounts.

Others want to hijack your machine so they carry out their crimes or even terrorist acts at arm’s length leaving a trail that investigators may track to your front door.

Getting Started
It sounds scary and it can be, but a whole industry has evolved to help keep you safe. These days you need a variety of tools to fight a complex range of security threats (see the next post: Computer security guide: 2 what are the main threats).

At the minimum you should be looking at using an antivirus program, a firewall and some antispyware tools.

This may sound complicated and expensive, but all-in-one security suites can make life considerably easier and help you sleep at night.

These can be particularly helpful if you’re not a security expert because the separate tools in security suites are designed to interact smoothly with each other and provide overlapping protection from today’s nastiest threats which can use a blend of techniques to probe your defences.

Further reading:
Computer security guide: What are the main threats?
Computer security guide: Defensive software
Computer security guide: How to buy security tools
Computer security guide: What to buy or download for free

Related articles by Zemanta

• Free Genuine Kaspersky Internet Security for 3 Months! (tipsblogger.com)
• Beware spycam may be watching you work (comsecllc.blogspot.com)
• DOM flaw can crash many browsers (slumpedoverkeyboarddead.com)
• War of the PC Security Providers Coming (lockergnome.com)