Viruses and Spyware to Watch Out For

If you are a regular user of the internet, you will almost certainly have heard of things like viruses. This type of malicious software (malware) can be a real nuisance, and it could even lead to serious consequences like identity theft. The best way you can protect yourself against these threats is to install a quality anti-virus package. Here are some of the nasty things you will be avoiding by taking this step:

Browser Hijacker

A browser hijacker is a type of spyware that takes control of the web browser you use when surfing online. The goal is often to take you to websites that you do not want to go, or to bombard you with unwanted advertisement. This type of malware can even change your homepage, so that it always takes you to a particular website.

Trojan Horse

You have probably heard the Greek myth about how an army managed to enter the gates of Troy by hiding inside of a horse. This type of malicious software works in exactly the same way. What usually happens is that you will download some application or file to your computer because it seems useful. The trouble is that that there will be malware hidden inside of this useful software. The criminals will even hide these Trojans inside of fake anti-virus software.

Boot Sector Virus

A boot sector virus can be tricky to find and remove because it takes up residence on the master boot record of your machine. It can be easily spread to hard drives, USB drives, and discs. This means that you may have to do a good deal of work in order to remove this pest. The usual sign that you have a boot sector virus is that your computer will be noticeably slower for no apparent reason.

Memory Resident Virus

A resident virus lives in the memory of your computer, and it is then able to infect any software you add to this computer. This means that it can continue to cause problems even when you shut down programmes on the machine. The most dangerous type of memory resident malware would be the Jerusalem virus which deletes files on the computer.


Keylooger is a type of spyware that records what is being typed on a keyboard. This information can then be used by criminals to steal passwords or personal information. It is considered to be a very dangerous type of malicious software because the information obtained this way can be so sensitive.

Macro Virus

This virus gets its name because it is written in a macro language – this is the language used by the most popular software programmes. It is common for this type of virus to be introduced into computers through email attachments. Once it is in the computer it is able to take control of programmes using the macro language.


Worms are similar to viruses in that they are designed to spread quickly. The main difference between them is that a worm is crated to spread inside of computer rather than to infect other computers. The worm can dig down into lots of files and it can easily pass from one drive to another.

Time Bomb Virus

A time bomb virus is also sometimes referred to as logic bomb. It sits on your computer undetected until a certain time is reached. When it is triggered, it can do things like destroy your files. Time bombs are usually triggered to go off on many machines at the same time so that it becomes the news story of the day.


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