Adware: Typically, adware components install alongside a shareware or freeware application and bring targeted advertisements to your computer. These advertisements create revenue for the software developer. Adware displays web-based advertisements through pop-up windows or through annoying advertising banners.
Browser Helper Object: A Browser Helper Object (BHO) may appear as a helpful browser toolbar within Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE). Malicious BHO’s can change your default home page to point to some other site or send histories of your web-browsing habits to third-parties for the purposes of targeted advertising.
Browser Hijackers: Browser hijackers can alter your browser settings or change your default home page to point to some other site. They are also capable of sending your personal information to third-parties. Because they can appear as part of IE itself, hijackers can go undetected by firewall software.
Dialers: Generally, dialers are software designed to dial phone numbers. Some dialers connect to Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and are designed to provide genuine assistance. However, malicious dialers can attempt to connect you to long-distance or toll numbers without your consent, resulting in expensive phone bills.
Keyloggers: These are programs that run in the background on your computer and are capable of recording every keystroke you make on your keyboard. Keyloggers can steal which personal details and passwords that can later be retrieved by a third-party.
Layered Service Provider (LSP): LSPs are pieces of code that are used to monitor, intercept and control communication between your browser and the Internet application you are accessing. Malicious LSPs can be used to steal information that you submit through the Internet.
Malware: A generic term used to encompass malicious spyware, adware, Trojans, browser hijackers, keyloggers, dialers and tracking cookies.
Spyware: Stealthy applications that use your Internet connection to gather and transmit information on various activities you conduct on your computer. These activities include tracking websites you visit, items you buy online, emails you send and receive, your Instant Message dialog, credit card numbers, personal identification numbers, and all of your passwords. This information is often collected and sent without your knowledge or consent. If you use dial-up to connect to the Internet, spyware can also be used to bill 900 numbers to your phone bill.
Tracking Cookies: Internet browsers write and read cookies, which are small text files with small amounts of data (such as web site settings) that are placed onto your computer by visiting certain web sites. In many cases, cookies are beneficial to users as they can retain settings for the next time you visit the web site. Sometimes, however, cookies are used to consolidate and track your behaviors across different web sites, providing marketers with information about your web browsing habits.
Trojans: Like spyware, Trojans (also known as Trojan horses) can slip into your system and run without your knowledge. They are capable of possessing a number of attributes, such as using your computer’s modem to dial long-distance numbers, potentially generating expensive phone bills. Unlike viruses and worms, Trojans do not replicate themselves.
Virus: A computer virus has a similar appearance as an ordinary computer program, however, they are designed to spread from one computer to another and can interfere with computer operation. Its purpose is to damage data, destroy other programs, and in most cases interrupt the normal operations of a computer. A virus can corrupt or delete data on your computer, use your e-mail program to spread itself to other computers, or even erase everything on your hard disk.
Viruses can be disguised as attachments and can be hidden in e-mail messages, instant messaging messages, illicit software or other files or programs you might download.
See Forms of Viruses for a description of different types of viruses that can infect your computer.
Worm: A computer worm is a software program that is designed to copy itself from one computer to another. Unlike a computer virus, a worm can copy itself automatically.
Worms can replicate in great volume. As an example, a worm can send out copies of itself to every contact in your e-mail address book, and then it can send itself to all of the contacts in their e-mail address books.
Some worms spread very quickly. They clog networks and can cause long delays when you are accessing Web pages on the Internet.
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