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Protecting Your Computer From a Computer Malware

            Malware, or malicious software, is a software made to cause harm to your system. A malware gets
            installed on a computer without approval from the computer's owner.
            Types of Malwares

            There are different types of malware, each having unique characteristics. Let’s find out.



                                                                   Worm
                                             Virus





                                                       MALWARE            Trojan
                                                                          Horse




                                                                      Adware
                                                Spyware



                Virus: A computer virus is a program that is able to copy itself when it is run. It gets activated
               each time the program or file to which it is attached is opened or executed. It is the most common
               type of malware. It can spread itself by infecting other programs or files. It affects the original
               program, causing it to not work properly.
                Worm: A worm is similar to virus but it can copy itself and spread rapidly to any device attached.
               A worm does not need any program to activate it.
                Trojan  Horse:  A  trojan  horse  is  a  dangerous  virus.  It  represents  itself  as  helpful  software
               program. Once the user clicks on it to agree to run it, it gains access to sensitive data and then
               modifies, blocks, or deletes the data. It cannot copy itself from one computer to another.

                Spyware:  A  spyware  steals  important  information  and  data  on  the  device,  such  as  account
               passwords or bank details. It observes the user's activity without their knowledge.
                Adware: An adware tracks user's browser and download history and keeps popping advertisements
               on the screen.





                     In 1986, the first virus was written for Windows based PCs by two brothers,
                     Basit and Amjad Farooq Alvi, from Pakistan, who were only 17 and 24 years old,
                     respectively, at the time. They named it “Brain”.



            The Most Dangerous Malwares Known

               Wabbit Virus (1974) makes multiple copies of itself until the system slows down and crashes.
                ILOVEYOU Virus (2000) worked by sending a fake “love letter” that looked like a harmless text
               file.

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