Advantages And Disadvantages Of Malware

The Internet and computers are an essential part of today’s society. People are able to communicate internationally, access endless amounts of information, and conduct business through these technologies. With all the great innovations and freedoms that have come from these tools, there are also a number of risks as well. Nations, companies, and individuals are at a risk of having their computers attacked and confidential documents and information being stolen. The Internet and computers are a great asset to our society, but when used incorrectly, they can cause crime, wars, and social problems. This is why computer and network security are essential to protecting users from malicious attacks.

Computers can be attacked in a number of ways and being prepared to handle these attacks is critical for all computer users. Malware is malicious software that is “designed to damage, disrupt, steal, or in general inflict some other ‘bad’ or illegitimate action on data, hosts, or networks” (Cisco, n.d., n.p.). There are a number of types of malware like viruses, worms, Trojan horses, and bots. A device can be exposed to malware by being bundled with other programs, attached as macros to files, or installed through vulnerabilities in an operating system (Cisco, n.d.). One of the most common forms of malware is a virus. A virus is a type of malware that is intentionally written to attach itself to other programs (Kanish, 1997). The majority of viruses are attached to an executable file and will only be activated when that file is opened by a user (Cisco, n.d.). Viruses are spread from one computer to another by sending an attach file with malicious code to another and then the file being opened (Cisco, n.d.). Another common f...

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...aware of advances in cyber attacks and take the necessary steps to secure their networks and data.

Malware is a threat to all computers and networks. Viruses, worms, Trojan horses, and bots are all types of malware that can infect and compromise computers. When these harmful software penetrate into personal computers, businesses, and national security departments serious damages can result. Confidential information can be leaked, intellectual property can be stolen, and financial loss can result. With the sophistication in malware, a new form of war is beginning to be developed. Cyber war and cyber weapons have been developed and deployed by nations across the world. These weapons are extremely dangerous and make it difficult to discover who launched the attack. There are ways to protect oneself from malware, but no method is one-hundred percent effective.