COMPUTER SECURITY THREATS | MALICIOUS PROGRAMS

Computer Security Threats | malicious programs | Malwares

Computer security threats or Malicious code or Malwares comes in a wide variety of forms and is distributed through an ever growing number of delivery mechanisms. In general malicious program is any software that impedes the normal operation of a computer or networking device. This software most often executes without the user's consent.

Understanding how malwares works can help you develop defensive strategies, select
computer security products and train employees on how to identify potential threats.

Types of computer security threats

These can be roughly broken down into types according to the malware's method of operation. Anti-"virus" software, despite its name, is able to detect all of these types of malware. There are following malware types.

E-mail and other types of viruses
Trojans and other backdoors
Worms
Blended threats
Time bombs
Spyware
Adware
Stealware
Zombies

when a piece of malicious code starts infecting large number of computers, it is said to be 'in wild'.

Threat level of these malwares refers to it's potential to spread and infect computers. Threat level can be shown in 4 catagories.

NO - may not function well
Low - requires human assistance in replicating and moving from computer to computer
Medium - slow infection speed and little damage
High - great infection speed and do considerable damage.

wild list or threat list refers to malicious code that is wandering around the internet infecting computers. An archive of wild lists and information about the organisation that maintains the list are available at www.wildlist.org