Unfortunately, we now live in a world where each one of us using a PC, laptop or smartphone is exposed to the risk of those devices becoming infected with a virus or malware. Hackers and Scammers are becoming smarter using multiple tool to access your data. Some people believe you can’t become infected if you’re using a Mac, iOS or Linux device, but the truth is if we aren’t extremely careful, any device can be infected. No matter the operating system or device everything connected to the internet is accessible and of course physically for devices we must make sure they're safe as well.
There are many routes of infection a virus can take and it would take so much time to write about all of them but here at the top 10 malware that are most commonly found
- Virus: A malicious program that attaches itself to a legitimate program or file and spreads to other files and programs. It often corrupts or deletes data.
- Worm: A type of malware that replicates itself to spread to other computers. Unlike viruses, worms do not need to attach themselves to other programs or files.
- Trojan Horse: Malware disguised as legitimate software. Once installed, it can give attackers access to the infected system.
- Ransomware: A type of malware that encrypts the victim's files and demands a ransom payment to restore access to the data.
- Spyware: Software that secretly monitors and collects user information without their knowledge. It often tracks internet activities and can steal sensitive information.
- Adware: Unwanted software designed to throw advertisements up on your screen, often within a web browser. Some adware also comes with spyware capabilities.
- Rootkit: A set of tools used by an attacker to gain control over a computer system without being detected. Rootkits often hide their presence and that of other malicious software.
- Keylogger: A type of spyware that records keystrokes made by the user, capturing sensitive information such as passwords and credit card numbers.
- Backdoor: A method of bypassing normal authentication to gain access to a system. Backdoors are often installed by other malware to allow future access to the system.
- Botnet: A network of infected computers controlled by an attacker. Botnets are often used to perform distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks or to send spam emails.
Given someone you don’t know remote access to your computer. This is a big problem nowadays, with criminals targeting the vulnerable and elderly by impersonating official organisations such as banks, Internet Service Providers, Microsoft and big retailers such as Amazon. These are the type of things that can lead to remote access.
- Plugged an unknown USB device or disc into your computer.
- Clicked a link in an e-mail from a source you don’t know.
- Opened an attachment in an e-mail from an unknown sender.
- Downloaded software from an untrusted website.
- Used a torrent service to download music or videos.
If you know that your device has been infected or you know that it has been compromised and would like some help eliminating the rogue software and making it safe again, then please get in touch. On the other hand, if you feel as though you may have been infected and want the reassurance that your devices and network are safe again, we can help with that too.
Our pricing is dependant on the severity of the malware which will result in how much time it will take to remove. We charge on our standard hourly rate of £48.
It is also important to invest in a good Anti-virus program that can keep not only your files locally safe but also your emails and when browsing on the web. We recommend and are partners with Avast which we regard highly in protecting your system.
View our Avast Packages - Click Here