Personal devices have taken over the world. Just about every household has a smartphone, laptop, or tablet. These devices have become so popular that it’s almost impossible to live without them in our modern society. We need these devices for school, work, and for entertainment.
Many people even use these devices to do their shopping and to plan their daily lives (such as budgeting, scheduling, and planning).
These powerful devices have become the of our lives, and in combination with the internet, they have made our lives much easier, and more convenient than ever before. As much as these devices have been incredible for our lives, they do come with some serious drawbacks.
Ever since the invention of the Internet and the surge of personal devices being used, cybercrime has become more and more prevalent, and even more dangerous with every passing year.
Hackers are taking advantage of innocent victims who aren’t aware of the daily dangers that they face on the internet. The biggest threat that your devices face every day is malicious software — also known as malware for short.
Malware is designed to cause harm to your devices, and there are millions of people out there who are oblivious to this serious threat that they face. The problem is that this threat not only puts your devices at risk, but it can also derail your entire life — that’s how dangerous it truly is!
The only solution to keeping your device safe and secure from malware is to use one of the best premium antivirus software on the market.
It’s also a good idea to study the topic more in-depth to better understand how malware works, how it makes its way onto your device, and how you can identify when your device is acting up.
In the article below, we’re going to explore malware in more detail to answer all of these pressing questions and ensure that your device will stay secure in 2023. Keep reading to get all the details!
Table of Contents
What is Malware?
The first step to identifying and protecting yourself from this virtual threat is to understand malware. Malware is software that has been designed by a cybercriminal to cause damage to you or to your devices — whether that’s a laptop, a smartphone, or a tablet.
Malware is a broad term that blankets different types of software that have been designed to damage your device. There are hundreds of different types of malware that exist, but we’ll be covering the three most common and most dangerous types throughout this article.
You’re probably wondering how this harmful software makes its way onto your device. Essentially, the victim needs to click on a link that will prompt the malware to be installed on their device.
The idea is that these links are disguised so that the victim doesn’t know that they clicked on an illegitimate link that has just started installing malware on their device.
This is where phishing scams come in — something you may have heard of before. Phishing scams are when hackers disguise their illegitimate links in a way that urges the victim to click on them.
For example, on social media, they might be advertising a competition where you can win tickets to a local concert if you click on the link in their post. This link is a disguise to hide malware that would be installed on your device.
Keep in mind that not all social media giveaways are scams. Hackers are always looking for the next best opportunity and later on, we’ll see how they use a concept known as social engineering to trick their victims into falling for their cyber attacks.
Luckily, though, there is a cybersecurity tool that you can install on your device that will protect you from all the different types of malware, and it can even detect phishing scams.
Threats that your devices face
Viruses
The most common type of malware that you might encounter is viruses. These computer viruses are man-made and they are designed to complete a specific task based on what the cybercriminal wants to accomplish.
This means that there are hundreds, if not thousands, of different types of computer viruses, and you never know which one you might have on your device. Some viruses exist purely to leave the victim frustrated.
Perhaps your device is being bombarded with hundreds of different pop-up ads or it’s just running extremely slowly.
Other viruses are far more dangerous though and can destroy files on your device. There are even some viruses that can destroy your device’s entire operating system, which leaves it completely unusable.
Ransomware
Ransomware is by far the most dangerous type of malware that exists, and it’s the last thing that you want on your device. This is used to encrypt important files and accounts on your device, which prevents you (or anyone else) from accessing them.
With encryption in place, these files can’t be accessed, moved, or deleted by anyone. The problem is that the malware always goes for important files that you would need, which is why this malware is often used to target businesses.
However, it’s not uncommon for individuals to have important files on their devices encrypted by malware — whether it’s a business project or sensitive information.
The only way to have the encryption removed is by paying an expensive fee to the cybercriminals. Even if you have paid the ransom fee, there’s no guarantee that the hackers will release the files from the encryption — it’s entirely up to them!
In the past year alone, ransomware has caused billions of dollars in damage to businesses and individuals. This malware is not only extremely dangerous, but it’s also becoming more and more common, so you need to protect yourself from it.
Spyware
Another dangerous form of malware that is extremely common is spyware. This type of malware is used to monitor the victim’s internet activity and browsing history, which gives the hacker a better idea of how they can create a more convincing phishing scam.
For example, the hacker can figure out which bank you use. They can then replicate an email from the bank by copying the fonts, logos, and color schemes that they use.
The hacker can then create a fake email address for you, which urges you to click on the link.
Creating a sense of urgency is relatively easy these days — hackers can state that there has been suspicious activity in your bank account, or that there was an unauthorized login that needs your attention. Once you click on the link, the malware will be installed.
Solution for Malware Threats
Antivirus Software
The key to stopping all of these cyberattacks is using premium antivirus software. This software has been designed with a database of known viruses and malware applications. The software will constantly scan your devices for any of this known harmful software.
Once the antivirus software detects dangerous software on your device, it can remove it before it causes serious harm.
Premium antivirus software will also have a database loaded with known phishing scams and links. This allows the powerful software to detect a possible phishing scam before you even click on it — that’s why it’s critical to use premium antivirus software rather than free ones.
