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Adware, programs used to launch advertisements, pop-ups or redirect search engine results,
accounted for around 3 percent of the cases. Another 3 percent of attacks were the result of
software that exploits vulnerabilities in a system such as a bug or glitch for malicious activity.

Worms are reported to cause 2 percent of malware afflictions. Worms replicate and damage
programs in a similar manner as viruses. However, their affects may be much more
detrimental. Worms can infect and spread throughout the system without any user action.
Monitoring tools used for tracking and reporting user behavior without their knowledge are
another two percent of malware cases.

An additional 1 percent of malware infections are attributed to malicious backdoor software
used to control a computer remotely without being detected by the user or security software.
Spyware makes up the final 0.01 percent of malware cases. While some types are
moderately harmless in that they are used to monitor behavior for advertising purposes,
others may deplete the computer’s resources causing it to be slow or even rendering it
useless.

The proliferation of malware has necessitated the use of some type of antivirus or security
program to protect computers. In addition to the standard security measures, taking
precautions when browsing the internet and opening e-mail attachments will also help
prevent malware infection. Other measures such as keeping software updated to the current
version and disabling autorun will further protect against threats.

About the Author

Cindy is a technology geek and self-proclaimed security expert. When
she’s not writing about security topics she enjoys browsing reddit and fixing
peoples computers.

32 Cyber Warnings E-Magazine – April 2014 Edition
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