In 2017, the "WannaCry" computer virus put the world's big companies in check and shook home users around the world. He was taking advantage of a weakness in Windows to carry out an attack that rendered devices unusable and demanded large sums of money in exchange for their release. The fact, of course, was known all over the planet and called into question the security systems in the network.
Computer viruses have been present in our lives for decades. Despite this, there are many occasions in which false alarms are created about its circulation on the network. It is true that there will always be a risk, but you have to work hard to end the famous hoaxes.
The origin of the computer virus dates back to 1972. Then, it attacked the Tenex operating system, present in American computers that were used for research and education. His name was " Creeper " and he was created, without malicious intent, by an engineer named Bob Thomas. The virus circulated on the Internet always sending the same message: " I am the creeper, catch me if you can ."
To combat it, "Reaper" was created, considered the first antivirus in history. In the 80s the first malicious viruses emerged. Since that time, hundreds of viruses have emerged, some very aggressive. Although it is difficult to decide which has been the worst in history, many experts highlight “ Chernobyl ”. It was created in 1998 and attacked 60 million Windows and Millennium computers. It erased all the data on the devices and prevented their start-up.
Virus Classes
One of the first malicious viruses was " Rabbit ", which blocked devices. Then "Elk Cloner" appeared, which affected Apple, and "Brain", on IBM computers. From here, a list of computer viruses was created:
- Residents They are in the memory of the computer and alter files as they are selected or closed.
- Direct action. They are installed in the root directory of the hard drive and attack when a program is run.
- Of overwrite. We found them in the archives. They remove the contents and replace them with others.
- Located on the desktop. The famous " cluster ". They change the location of the files when we try to access them.
- Boot system virus. They attack the moment the hard drive is running.
Other Types of Secondary Viruses
- Trojans. They hide behind a harmless appearance, for example, a program, and cause hackers to take control of your computer to steal personal data. The most famous is "Zeus", which affected more than three million devices in the US. 77% of them had updated antivirus.
- Worms. It is a malware that spreads when we transfer files. It causes the system to hang and wastes bandwidth. The best known was "Morris", which in 1988 affected tens of thousands of computers that had an Internet connection.
- Spyware. Collect data from your device and transfer it to another location. One of the most dangerous is the "Skygofree", which affects smartphones and with which hackers can completely control the phone.
- Adware. It tracks your computer's memory to find out your preferences and shows you advertisements constantly.
- Browser hijackers. Control your browser and direct you to other websites.
- Email virus. They appear when you open an email. The most famous is the "I LOVE YOU" virus. In 2000, and in just five hours, it infected 10% of computers connected to the Internet at that moment, causing damage valued at 10 billion euros.
- Ransomware. They lock your device and ask for a ransom to release it.
How to Protect Ourselves From Computer Viruses?
The best thing is to install an antivirus, although we must know that the system itself has mechanisms to protect itself. This is the case of Windows Defender or Windows Security. There is also another free antivirus such as Protegent360.
They may seem like simple programs, but they are very effective at destroying Trojans, worms, or spyware. Of course, you have to be aware of new updates. In addition to antivirus, there are other options to prevent our devices from being affected:
- You have to be especially careful with social networks. Never open a file without checking its origin.
- Close the website when the browser tells you that it is not a secure site.
- Do not accept files from contacts you do not know.
- Make backup copies of your files periodically.
1. Install antivirus/malware software.
This advice may go without saying, and we mentioned it earlier. However, many computers - especially home computers - do not have virus/malware protection. This protection is an essential first step in keeping your PC virus-free.
2. Keep your antivirus software updated.
Having protection software is the first step; keeping it is the second. The free antivirus software is better than nothing, but note that it is not the best solution. Microsoft provides a "free" security package. It's free because if you have Windows on your computer, you are granted access, but you paid for your Windows license. Many users are not aware of this program, but it is actually decent protection.
3. Run regularly scheduled scans with your antivirus software.
This may also seem obvious, but many of us forget to do it. Set the software to run at regular intervals. Once a week is preferable, but don't expect much longer between each scan. It is difficult to work on the computer while antivirus software is running. One solution is to run the software at night when the computer is not being used. However, we often turn off our computers at night, so the scan never runs. Set your antivirus software to run on a specific night and always leave your computer running on that day. Make sure it doesn't automatically shut down or go into hibernate mode.
4. Keep your operating system updated.
Whether you use Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, or any other operating system, keep it up to date. Developers of operating systems always release security patches that fix and cover security leaks. These patches will help you keep your system safe. Similarly, keep your antivirus software up to date. The virus and malware are created all the time. Your scan-software is only as good as your database. You should also be as up to date as possible.
5. Protect your network.
Many of our PCs connect to our files, printers, or the Internet through a Wi-Fi connection. Make sure it requires a password to access it and that the password is secure. Never browse an open Wi-Fi connection.
Use WPA or WPA2 encryption. PME is no longer strong enough, as experts can avoid it in a matter of minutes. It is also a good idea not to broadcast your SSID (the name of your Wi-Fi network). You can still access it with your device, you just have to manually enter the SSID and password. If you frequently have guests using your internet, provide a guest SSID that uses a different password, just in case your friends are evil hackers.
6. Think before you click.
Avoid websites that you don't trust. Don't open an email attachment from someone or a company you don't know. Don't click a link in an unsolicited email. Always hover your mouse over a link (especially one with a URL shortener) before clicking to see where the link actually takes you.
If you need to download a file from the Internet, email, FTP site, file-sharing service, etc., please analyze it before running. Good antivirus software will do it automatically, but make sure it's being done.
7. Keep your personal information safe.
This is probably the hardest thing to do on the internet. Many hackers will access your files not by brute force, but through social engineering. They will get enough information to access your accounts online and collect more of your personal data.
They will continue from account to account until they have enough information to allow them to access your bank details or simply steal your identity. Be careful with message boards and social media. Lock all your privacy settings and avoid using your real name or identity in the discussion forums.
8. Don't use open Wi-Fi.
When in the cafeteria, the library, and especially at the airport, do not use the open Wi-Fi “free” (no password, no encryption). Think about it. If you can access it without problems, what can a hacker do?
9. Make a backup of your files.
The best thing you can do is back up your files, all of them. Ideally, you should have your files (your data) in at least three places: where you work on them, on a separate storage device, and off-site.
Keep your files on your computer, back it up to an external hard drive, then back it up to a different location. You can use a backup service or just get two external hard drives and keep one at work, at a friend's house, at a family member's house, or in a safe deposit box.
10. Use several strong passwords.
Never use the same password, especially on your bank account. We typically use the same email address or username for all of our accounts. They are easy to see and steal. If you use the same password for everything or many things, and it is discovered, then it will only take a few seconds to hack into an account. Use a strong password. Please use lower case, upper case, numbers, and symbols in your password. Keep it easy to remember but hard to guess. Don't use dates or pet names.
False Legends About Computer Viruses
They come in by email. It is one of the ways, but not the only one. Also online, on social networks ...
My computer is slow ... it has a virus! No. I may have it, but your device may get stuck for other reasons such as lack of system maintenance, hard drive failure ...
If my screen turns blue, I have a virus. The blue screen is usually caused by bad software, not viruses.
Porn sites have viruses. Every timeless. The porn industry now moves a lot of money and they have increasingly greater security systems.
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