Malware - FavGeek, Decatur, AL - Computer Repair, Virus Removal


Malware definition via The AVG website:

The term malware is a contraction of malicious software. Put simply, malware is any piece of software that was written with the intent of doing harm to data, devices or to people.

When you hear talk of viruses, Trojans, spyware and the like, what you're really hearing is talk of different kinds of malware.

We all know the popular image of the rebel hacker, testing his skills and wits against whatever system he's decided to make his challenge. But today, "black hat” software developers often sell their skills to the highest bidder.

These can be criminal organizations looking for tools to operate in the digital world, or government intelligence agencies looking to access the data locked away in the computers, networks and mobile devices of their targets.


This has never been more true. Times have changed since you MIGHT get a virus from looking at the wrong websites. And they're ever-evolving.

Malicious intent has been around for as long as people have walked the Earth. But an early example of a virus/malware involves fax machines.

Oh, you don't know what a fax machine is? Lawyers and doctors use them. That's about it. Oh, and insurance agents. And maybe judges. Anyway, I digress. Fax machines make a crappy copy of a piece of paper and transmit it across phone lines to another fax machine.

Years ago, hackers would randomly dial phone numbers hoping to get a fax machine, then they'd transmit hundreds of pages of black pages. Don't get it? It would deplete the fax machines toner cartridge and paper. Basically it was just a dick move. It cost the fax machine owner time and money.

Move up to recent days, and the kiddie stuff from decades ago is still happening, but the pranks have turned into down right theft.

Bitcoins are all the rage right now, and everyone is scrambling to get as many as possible as quickly as possible. To the point that certain websites have installed code that runs in the background that hijacks computers that visit the site and mine for Bitcoins in the background while you're browsing the site. And possibly after you leave, as well.

It's gotten to the point that video game developers are also including mining software in their games, as well.

These are the most minute of examples of malware. There are also things like ransomware, which holds your data hostage unless you pay money (usually in Bitcoin). There's botnets, which are computers that are infected with a tiny program that executes commands in the background and uses resources on your computer to do nefarious tasks online (usually associated with Distributed Denial of Service attacks, where loads and loads of computers bombard a website with traffic, rendering the website useless).


So, it's not all bad news, doom and gloom, gray skies, etc.

FavGeek has been removing viruses and malware for over 20 years. Yep, we've been around for a while.

We've seen a lot, we've fixed a lot, we've adapted through the years to new and harder viruses and malware.

We're fast, we're efficient, we've got your back.

Come see us! Give us a call! Talk to us on Facebook!"

If you're looking for pricing, click on the OliverBot in the lower right corner. He'll answer almost anything you throw his way.

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