How to protect your system from a malware

Nowadays over 30% of computers are infected at least with a malware. In order to learn how to protect from it we must understand what a malware is and how it is working.

A malware is a software that cause damage to your computer, server or computer network. This can have different targets from stealing or damage data to slowing down the device. 

Most common categories of a malware is :

• Viruses
• Trojans
• Spyware
• Ransomware
• Worms

Lets talk about every malware and know the difference between them.

1. Viruses

 A computer virus is a type of malicious software that replicates itself by modifying other computer programs and inserting its own code.  This happens after you execute it.

2. Trojans

 A Trojan horse, or Trojan, is any malicious computer program which misleads users of its true intent.
 

3. Spyware

 Spyware is software that aims to gather information about a person or organization, sometimes without their knowledge, that may send such information to another entity without the consumer's consent, that asserts control over a device without the consumer's knowledge, or it may send such information to another entity with the consumer's consent, through cookies.

4. Ransomware

 This is a type of malicious software from cryptovirology that threatens to publish the victim's data or perpetually block access to it unless a ransom is paid. While some simple ransomware may lock the system in a way which is not difficult for a knowledgeable person to reverse, more advanced malware uses a technique called cryptoviral extortion, in which it encrypts the victim's files, making them inaccessible, and demands a ransom payment to decrypt them.

5. Worms

 A computer worm is a standalone malware computer program that replicates itself in order to spread to other computers. Often, it uses a computer network to spread itself, relying on security failures on the target computer to access it. Worms almost always cause at least some harm to the network, even if only by consuming bandwidth, whereas viruses almost always corrupt or modify files on a targeted computer.
 

HOW TO PROTECT FROM A MALWARE

In most of the cases, computers are infected with a malware because of products piracy from unsecured websites. This will cause people to run programs without any verification. This is why I recommend you to download files only from trusted people and companies.

 With VirusTotal you can scan any executable it may be suspicious for you. This is a great way to make sure you will run a secured program and it doesn't contain any kind of virus.

An antivirus is very useful when it comes to detection of a malware, TechRadar can show you the best antivirus of 2019 paid and free.

Additional securities like firewall and implemented securities in your operating system will help you protect from any threads.

WHAT TO DO IF A MALWARE IS IN YOUR COMPUTER

If you have been infected the best way to remove the threads is by installing an antivirus or a specialized tool anti malware.  In cases of ransomware attack you may have the luck to find a decryptor for the exact version of the crypt version. The version and model name can be found usually when the popup screen appears of payment.

In most of the cases, there are only viruses that slow up your computer and can be cleaned using any basic antivirus. An advanced malware may be the end of your files or of the operating system. That means you may have to reinstall a new fresh OS.

WHAT WE RECOMMEND TO PROTECT YOURSELF

1. Backup weekly your files

Most important files must have a backup every week, this will protect you against attacks like ransomware. Over 300.000 people around the world have been infected and lost their files in 2018. An amount must be transferred to an anonymous person using cryptocurrency to decrypt your files but that would not totally help you, this will only support this kind of attacks.

2. Upload important files on cloud

There are many cloud services around the world in order to protect your files for free or paid. Having important files stored to clouds and copied in several locations (Such as USB, CD, Cloud and PC) will secure 100% from any threads.