The internet is a scary place, and there are nasties out there waiting to infect your devices. Computer viruses can leech themselves onto any of your devices, not just your computer. They can have devastating effects and leave your personal data vulnerable. Luckily, there are defenses you can take against different types of malware, but that’s a conversation for another time.
Before we look at 10 of the most harmful types of malware, you should probably make sure you know exactly what it is. It is short for ‘malicious software,’ and its prime objective is to damage your computer system or cause malfunction.
10. Trojans
Taking its name from the ancient trojan horse, it aims to blend in with other applications and open up a backdoor. This allows access to a world of undetectable malicious software.
9. Worms
Not so much the cute characters of the franchise. They plant themselves on a device and use communication features to duplicate themselves across even more devices.
8. Phishing
This is a cybercriminal activity. Think of it as malware that tried to fish for your personal information. The bait is often disguised as an email designed to make you think it is a legitimate business. When your guard is down, you unknowingly pass out your details to the hands of cybercriminals. This can have devastating impacts if they gain access to your bank accounts.
7. Keyloggers
As the name might suggest, this malware’s purpose is to read your keystrokes (anything you type), making your sensitive information vulnerable.
6. Backdoors
This pesky malware opens up a back door in the system and manages to fain control, leaving you feeling powerless.
5. Exploits
Taking advantage of any system vulnerabilities, this malware will attempt to access and gain control of specific behaviors without the user’s knowledge.
4. Advanced Persistent Threat (APT)
This crafty malware will sneak its way into the system security to monitor it and persistently steal data from a computer.
3. Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS)
This is a lethal attack that runs from numerous computers that are usually infected themselves and bombard web servers with requests – causing them to crash to the point that users cannot access the service.
2. Botnets
Botnets infect a network of computers and are usually hidden to allow control by a third party. Commonly, they are used by cybercriminals to commit fraudulent activity.
1. Ransomware
This is at the top of the list and is arguably the most dangerous. As the name might indicate, this malware is installed on a computer to block access to the user. To regain control, a ransom is requested – often by means of payment.
These are just 10 of the most harmful malware that can cause a computer virus, but there is a lot more out there to be wary of. To prevent your devices from coming across any of these, be sure to take preventive measures by installing a good defense system, never giving your personal details out, or downloading anything you do not recognize.
