<span class="TextRun SCXW100000695 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW100000695 BCX0">Malicious software — or malware — is talked about when dangerous software is used to access and infect a computer or network without being detected. A lot of people hear terms like viruses, adware, spyware, ransomware, worms, or Trojan horses; these are all </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW100000695 BCX0">different types</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW100000695 BCX0"> of malwares that can severely damage computers. As a <a href="http://www.magnitech.com">cybersecurity company</a>, we are always staying up-to-date and informed on the latest malware threats to protect companies and their success. </span></span><span class="LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW100000695 BCX0"><br class="SCXW100000695 BCX0" /></span><span class="LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW100000695 BCX0"><span class="SCXW100000695 BCX0"> </span><br class="SCXW100000695 BCX0" /></span><span class="TextRun SCXW100000695 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto">All forms of malware are extremely dangerous once they infiltrate a device, but the way malware functions differ depending on the type. Below is a list of several types of malware and short definitions of how they work.</span><span class="LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW100000695 BCX0"><span class="SCXW100000695 BCX0"> </span><br class="SCXW100000695 BCX0" /></span><span class="LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW100000695 BCX0"><span class="SCXW100000695 BCX0"> </span><br class="SCXW100000695 BCX0" /></span><span class="TextRun SCXW100000695 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto">Viruses:</span><span class="LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW100000695 BCX0"><span class="SCXW100000695 BCX0"> </span></span><span class="LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW100000695 BCX0"><br class="SCXW100000695 BCX0" /></span><span class="TextRun SCXW100000695 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW100000695 BCX0">Function — Software that replicates itself </span><span class="NormalTextRun AdvancedProofingIssueV2Themed SCXW100000695 BCX0">over and over again</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW100000695 BCX0"> once it is activated.</span></span><span class="LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW100000695 BCX0"><br class="SCXW100000695 BCX0" /></span><span class="TextRun SCXW100000695 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto">Threat — Viruses will corrupt or delete data.</span><span class="LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW100000695 BCX0"><br class="SCXW100000695 BCX0" /></span><span class="LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW100000695 BCX0"><span class="SCXW100000695 BCX0"> </span><br class="SCXW100000695 BCX0" /></span><span class="TextRun SCXW100000695 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto">Adware:</span> <span class="LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW100000695 BCX0"><span class="SCXW100000695 BCX0"> </span><br class="SCXW100000695 BCX0" /></span><span class="TextRun SCXW100000695 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto">Function — Software that throws advertisements up on your screen (pop-ups).</span><span class="LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW100000695 BCX0"><br class="SCXW100000695 BCX0" /></span><span class="TextRun SCXW100000695 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto">Threat — Can corrupt your server and disable you from getting online.</span><span class="LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW100000695 BCX0"><br class="SCXW100000695 BCX0" /></span><span class="LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW100000695 BCX0"><span class="SCXW100000695 BCX0"> </span><br class="SCXW100000695 BCX0" /></span><span class="TextRun SCXW100000695 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto">Spyware:</span> <span class="LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW100000695 BCX0"><span class="SCXW100000695 BCX0"> </span><br class="SCXW100000695 BCX0" /></span><span class="TextRun SCXW100000695 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto">Function — Software that sneakily clings to your computer’s OS.</span><span class="LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW100000695 BCX0"><br class="SCXW100000695 BCX0" /></span><span class="TextRun SCXW100000695 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto">Threat — Can collect all kinds of information</span><span class="LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW100000695 BCX0"><span class="SCXW100000695 BCX0"> about your business.</span></span><span class="LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW100000695 BCX0"><br class="SCXW100000695 BCX0" /></span><span class="LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW100000695 BCX0"><span class="SCXW100000695 BCX0"> </span><br class="SCXW100000695 BCX0" /></span><span class="TextRun SCXW100000695 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto">Ransomware:</span> <span class="LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW100000695 BCX0"><span class="SCXW100000695 BCX0"> </span><br class="SCXW100000695 BCX0" /></span><span class="TextRun SCXW100000695 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto">Function — Software from crypto-virology that will lock you out of your own files.</span><span class="LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW100000695 BCX0"><br class="SCXW100000695 BCX0" /></span><span class="TextRun SCXW100000695 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto">Threat — They will block you from your own files until you pay a ransom.</span><span class="LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW100000695 BCX0"><br class="SCXW100000695 BCX0" /></span><span class="LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW100000695 BCX0"><span class="SCXW100000695 BCX0"> </span><br class="SCXW100000695 BCX0" /></span><span class="TextRun SCXW100000695 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto">Worms:</span><span class="LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW100000695 BCX0"><span class="SCXW100000695 BCX0"> </span></span><span class="LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW100000695 BCX0"><br class="SCXW100000695 BCX0" /></span><span class="TextRun SCXW100000695 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto">Function — Software that relies on vulnerabilities in a computer and spreads like a virus.</span><span class="LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW100000695 BCX0"><span class="SCXW100000695 BCX0"> </span><br class="SCXW100000695 BCX0" /></span><span class="TextRun SCXW100000695 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW100000695 BCX0">Threat — They replicate to a point </span><span class="NormalTextRun ContextualSpellingAndGrammarErrorV2Themed SCXW100000695 BCX0">that</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW100000695 BCX0"> your network is damaged.</span></span><span class="LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW100000695 BCX0"><br class="SCXW100000695 BCX0" /></span><span class="LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW100000695 BCX0"><span class="SCXW100000695 BCX0"> </span><br class="SCXW100000695 BCX0" /></span><span class="TextRun SCXW100000695 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto">Trojans:</span><span class="LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW100000695 BCX0"><span class="SCXW100000695 BCX0"> </span></span><span class="LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW100000695 BCX0"><br class="SCXW100000695 BCX0" /></span><span class="TextRun SCXW100000695 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto">Function — Software that looks legitimate but is activated once its program is clicked.</span><span class="LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW100000695 BCX0"><br class="SCXW100000695 BCX0" /></span><span class="TextRun SCXW100000695 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto">Threat — Designed to damage your computer in any way — disrupt, steal, infect, etc.</span><span class="LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW100000695 BCX0"><span class="SCXW100000695 BCX0"> </span></span><span class="LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW100000695 BCX0"><br class="SCXW100000695 BCX0" /></span><span class="LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW100000695 BCX0"><span class="SCXW100000695 BCX0"> </span></span>

<span class="LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW100000695 BCX0"><br class="SCXW100000695 BCX0" /></span><span class="TextRun SCXW100000695 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW100000695 BCX0">These descriptions only summarize some of the key components of what these malicious software programs can do, but they all carry an equal amount of concern if a computer in your business is affected.</span></span><span class="LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW100000695 BCX0"><br class="SCXW100000695 BCX0" /></span><span class="LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW100000695 BCX0"><span class="SCXW100000695 BCX0"> </span><br class="SCXW100000695 BCX0" /></span><span class="TextRun SCXW100000695 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW100000695 BCX0">When malware was first created, it was used as pranks and experiments, but now it is <em>always</em> destructive. </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW100000695 BCX0">Cybersecurity companies use programs such as </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW100000695 BCX0">SIEM (Security Information and Event Management)</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW100000695 BCX0"> solutions</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW100000695 BCX0"> to combat these dangerous attacks. If you do not know if your cybersecurity posture stacks up against these attacks, <a href="http://www.magnitech.com/contactus">contact us</a> for a free cyber audit. </span></span><span class="LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW100000695 BCX0"><br class="SCXW100000695 BCX0" /></span><span class="LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW100000695 BCX0"><span class="SCXW100000695 BCX0"> </span><br class="SCXW100000695 BCX0" /></span><span class="TextRun SCXW100000695 BCX0" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US" data-contrast="auto">Malware is not the only form of dangerous online attack, there is also spoofing, phishing, and other security hackers that might be able to penetrate your computer’s basic line of defense. To detect any threats before they become a problem, partner with <a href="https://magnitech.com/magnitech/it-managed-services/">Magnitech.</a></span><span class="EOP SCXW100000695 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{'201341983':0,'335559740':259}"> </span>