Trojan Horse, Virus, Worms and Bots – What are They and What are the Differences?

The Internet is filled with threats, viruses and other attacks that are growing and becoming more sophisticated. Learn more about them and become informed.

It is our goal here at Legal Shred to keep our customers and the public informed on all the latest security issues threatening their financial future and overall wellbeing. To offer some insider tips that will protect your business, we’ve introduced our newest Cybersecurity 101 for Small Businesses series.

In this post, we’ll take a closer look at more of the threats and computer viruses floating around out there so you can take steps for protection.

Trojan Horse

This term has been around for quite a while and is one way that cyber thieves make their way into a computer system to steal sensitive data. The malware is usually presented as a credible software install but once clicked/downloaded, makes its way into the backend of a system and can do things like delete, block, copy and modify data or even disrupt the performance of your system.

Computer Virus

Computer viruses are intrusive and troublesome because they work much like a flu virus and can spread to other systems that make contact with it. It starts as malicious software that then replicates and can attach to other computers. Once there, the code can change files, delete hard drives – and worse. Their quick spread and the rogue tactics used to circumvent even sophisticated protections have caused billions of dollars in damages.

Worm

This is also a type of malware computer virus that can make its way onto a computer system via vulnerabilities in an operating system. The worm replicates and can spread and can wreak havoc or lead to other more sophisticated forms of attack like ransomware.

Bots

While similar to the way in which much of the other malware described here operates, bots are particularly focused on attacking an entire network. The ‘robot’ finds its way to the server and contaminates all devices connected to it. They are hard to uncover and they do mass damage quickly. This type of exploit is especially important to be careful of with IoT devices which are connected to the network and can be exploited to collect personal data.

It’s a scary world out there in the online realm. On the one hand, computers and Internet connectivity have transformed how we do just about everything. It has broken down barriers and allowed communications to reach farther than ever before possible. It’s also empowered, educated and helped people and businesses. Unfortunately, there’s a dark side to the happy story. The Internet is also filled with threats, computer viruses and other attacks that are only growing today and becoming more sophisticated.

Education, training and consistent monitoring are the best defenses to have in place. Ensure that all computers, laptops, mobile devices and anything that connects to your network have malware protections in place that are up-to-date.

If you or an employee have a feeling about the way a computer is acting or might have clicked into a site that’s questionable, it’s better to speak up and ensure your systems and data haven’t been breached than to sit and wait for something worse to happen.

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:

 

Cybersecurity for Small Businesses

Service Areas: New York ShreddingLong Island Shredding; New Jersey ShreddingConnecticut Shredding and more