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Spybot-Search and Destroy

Computer Viruses and Malware...

What are they?

First off... let me define a few things:

  • A computer virus is a computer program that can copy itself and infect a computer without the permission or knowledge of the owner. Typically these programs need to attach to existing files. This term is often used as a blanket term to cover all kinds of problem programs but is inaccurately used all too often.
    NOTE: A computer virus is not Malware, Worms, Trojans, Spyware, or Adware.
  • Malware or malicious software is software designed to infiltrate or damage a computer system without the owner's informed consent. It is also a term often used to describe most kinds of unwanted software on your computer.
    NOTE: Software is considered malware based on the hidden purpose of the software rather than any particular features. A program may say it's an antivirus, but it installs a virus, trojan, or spyware/adware along with it while pretending to actually work.
  • Worms are no fun. Unlike a virus, they do not need to attach to a file and use your network connections to pass itself along. These are often the system killers, hard drive space takers, and occasionally performance stealers.
  • Trojans or Trojan Horses are malware that appears, to the user, to perform a desirable function but, in fact, facilitates unauthorized access to the user's computer system by disabling firewalls and or antivirus programs. Unlike viruses and worms, Trojans usually do not replicate. You'll run into them often but they are mostly annoying.
    NOTE: There is a lot of software out there claiming to be antivirus/antispy software on the web that fall in this category. They DO seem to clean 'fake' viruses from the system while they install adware and viruses into the system that bypass firewalls.
  • Spyware is nasty. In fact I find this the worst. This stuff is often installed without you knowing it and it secretly collects information and transmits it. Information like credit card information, personal data, browsing habits, passwords are a few things these capture.
    NOTE: This is one of the largest causes to computer/internet slowdowns.
  • Adware is my favorite. It's short for Advertisement-Supported software. Adware is any software package which automatically plays, displays, or downloads advertisements to your computer after the software is installed on it or while the application is being used. This is a large performance stealer and often shows up when you install and play "free" online games or 'free' software. Even some commercial software has built in advertisements!
    NOTE: Not all Free Online games or software do this. An example of this would be gPotato where they make their money off you buying extra things for your game account from them. Otherwise their games are truly free.


    •      Now that we have that cleared up. Let's look to the left as to what to do in order fix and or prevent this unwanted stuff. If you would like a more detailed explanation of programs on this list, please hop over to Wikipedia and read up on them by clicking on their names listed in blue.

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