Malicious Software 'Malware' It Performs Unwanted Tasks

Malware Symptoms: Malware on Mobile Devices While these types of malware differ greatly Mobile devices are rapidly replacing the in how they spread and infect computers, personal computer at home and in the work- Malicious Software they all can produce similar symptoms. place. Because of our increasing reliance on ‘Malware’ Computers that are infected with malware mobile devices, they represent an emerging can exhibit any of the following symptoms: threat vector ready to be exploited by cyber- criminals. •Increased CPU usage •Slow computer or web browser speeds Currently cybercriminals are developing •Problems connecting to networks malware to specifically target mobile devic- •Freezing or crashing es. •Modified or deleted files •Appearance of strange files, programs, or Google’s Android platform has become a desktop icons larger target for mobile malware writers •Programs running, turning off, or reconfig- than Apple iOS. This could be a result of uring themselves (malware will often recon- Android’s popularity. figure or turn off antivirus and firewall pro- grams) However, iOS isn’t 100% invulnerable. •Strange computer behavior •Emails/messages being sent automatically Mobile malware writers know the best way and without user’s knowledge (a friend re- to infect as many devices as possible is to ceives a strange email from you that you did attack central application markets. not send) Contact your Mobile Device manufacture and get the protection you need.

It performs unwanted tasks

CITY OF MEMPHIS INFORMATION SERVICES DIVISION Malware writers are very Skilled The Differences Malware is short for Many PC users consider Malware, Virus- in using tricks to get users to down- "malicious software." es, Spyware, Adware, Worms, Trojans, load their malware. etc. as the same thing. While all these in- The word malware is a combination of two fections harm our computers, they are not words “malicious” and “software”. It is a Software that comes bundled with "other soft- the same. They are all types of malicious generic term used to describe all of the software and each behave differently. hostile and intrusive program codes ware" is often called a Trojan Horse. including viruses, spyware, worms, For example: Trojans, or anything that is designed to 1. An instant messenger software bundled Spyware is a type of malware that func- perform malicious operations on a with a program such as WildTangent, a known tions by spying on user activity without computer. spyware offender. their knowledge. Adware (short for advertising-supported The meanings of many of these words have 2. Peer-to-peer file sharing software, such as Kaaza, LimeWire, and eMule, bundle various software) is a type of malware that auto- changed over time. Some refer to how the matically delivers advertisements. malware infects your system while other types of malware that are categorized as spyware A virus is a form of malware that is capa- words are used to describe what the or adware. malware does once it’s active in your 3. Software that promises to speed up the ble of copying itself and spreading to oth- machine. Internet connection or assist with downloads er computers. (e.g., My Web Search) will often contain adware. Bots are software programs created to au- Malware is any kind of unwanted software tomatically perform specific operations. that is installed without adequate consent. Malware exploits security holes in your browser A Rootkit is a type of malicious software Viruses, Worms, and Trojan Horses are designed to remotely access or control a examples of malicious software that are as a way of invading your machine. It is im- computer without being detected by users often grouped together and referred to as portant to keep computer systems patched with or security programs. malware. the latest manufacture provided security patches. Ransomware is a form of malware that Sometimes websites state that software is needed essentially holds a computer system cap- to view the site, in an attempt to trick users into tive while demanding a ransom. clicking "Yes" thus installing software onto their A Trojan horse, commonly known as a machines. “Trojan,” is a type of malware that dis- guises itself as a normal file or program to trick users into downloading and installing Some malware provides no uninstall option, and malware. installs code in unexpected and hidden places Worms (computer worms) are among the (e.g., the Windows registry) or modifies the op- most common types of malware. They erating system, thus making it more difficult to spread over computer networks by ex- remove. ploiting operating system vulnerabilities.