Malware is a program that does damage. This can range from deleting all of your files to putting them up for ransom. In most cases it’s the users own stupidity that caused the malware to install. There are rare cases when a user gets the program installed when his computer is on a network with other computers. But if you are the only person on your network than you were the person that installed it inadvertently.
Malware can be installed in several ways.
- Inserted a USB drive into your computer. (Auto starts programs on Windows)
- Clicked on an attachment in an email. (.exe files or even .pdf file or any document)
- Opened a document like Word or any Microsoft program from an unknown source.
- At work, when you are connected to a network that has many computers.
- Use a free WiFi hotspot that asks you to install software.
- Web sites that ask you to install software to view a video.
- Download software from a website whose reputation you haven’t established.
Virus checkers can protect you to a degree. I don’t use one because I practice safe computing. All I use is a firewall that only allows programs I authorize to talk to the internet. If it can’t talk to the internet you have mitigated most malware. But unfortunately this is an option only if you are a knowledgeable user. So if you are inexperienced ensure your virus checker is up to date and heed the above points religiously.
Although you should ensure your computers operating system is up to date the recent out break of malware still go in because Microsoft didn’t do their job. They knew about the hacker tools that were released and didn’t put any checks in place. It is true its difficult to protect yourself from the unknown but if they tightened what programs are allowed to access the internet then this latest outbreak would not have occurred.