Types of Computer Infections:
Malware
A portmanteau of malicious and software. People often use malware and virus interchangeably but it’s not quite accurate. Malware is any software that can perform actions on the user’s computer without their permission or knowledge, gather and collect personal data, or harm the system.
Virus
A code that installs and duplicates itself to a computer with the intention to collect data, perform functions without the user’s knowledge or consent, or cause harm to the system. They usually attach to the boot sector in the hard drives and other programs and files, making it difficult to detect without anti-viral software, or extensive knowledge of your computer’ internal system. A virus is a type of malware.
Adware
A predominantly annoying software that automatically pops up with ads and banners to generate income. Adware is one of the computer infections that is irritating but not malicious.
Spyware
Software that “spies” on the computer it is installed on. Gather’s data like login info and credit card information, even the user’ keystrokes.
Trojan Malware/Horse/Virus
You have probably heard of these. Although it is not actually a virus because it doesn’t duplicate itself.. Usually piggybacked on software that seems harmless and ok. There is a host of things Trojan malware can do including, take over your computer, downloading and installing other malware, stealing gaming login access info, pretending to be anti-virus software to remove fake viruses with you voluntarily paying, and much more. Network takeovers, accessing banking info, even SMS messages.
Worms
These often use the network to spread using security flaws. Worms replicate themselves and are a standalone piece of software.
