There are a lot of potential threats that you can face while browsing the Internet, some you may not even remotely realize are a threat. In order to help you figure out the potential threats you face while on the Internet, we have prepared a guide to help you learn how to avoid them.
What is malware?
First off, let's discuss one common term that comes up when discussing threats to your computer: malware. Malware is actually an umbrella term, a portmanteau of "malicious" and "software." This includes adware, viruses, worms, Trojans, bots, spyware, ransomware, crypto mining software, fileless malware, and more. Basically, any software that does harm to your computer for any malicious reason. Malware can be put on computers for a variety of reasons.
Phishing Websites
Phishing websites have been a common tool for scammers to steal your information. How they work is, someone (often a friend whose account was compromised or a scammer text messaging you) sends a link, which is disguised as a legitimate website (both the URL and the website design). The goal of the link is to trick you into putting your login information in, hoping you won't notice it's fake.
How to avoid
The best way to avoid this is to be cautious of links people send you, especially if the person sending it is a stranger. However, as mentioned above, it's still possible for people you know to send you phishing links. If someone does, be 100 percent sure that this lines up with their behavior. If it's suspicious, ask them about it first.
What if I've fallen victim?
If you've fallen victim to the scam, contact the relevant website whose password you got scammed immediately to get control of your account back. You should also change every password, just in case they were able to get access to other accounts you have using the login credentials.
Viruses
Viruses are a common threat, and come in a wide variety for a variety of purposes. Some viruses exist to cause harm to your computer, while others exist to trick you into being scammed. One example is when a virus poses as a warning of a virus, and gives a phone number to call to "fix" the problem.
How to avoid
It can be difficult to avoid viruses, but your best bet is to download Internet security software that will detect when harmful programs are downloaded. Don't trust suspicious links or programs.
What if I've fallen victim?
Use your antivirus to isolate the virus and remove it from your computer. Antiviruses are not foolproof, however. If this happens, you may have to go with more extreme solutions, including seeking professional help or even wiping the hard drive if all else fails.
Crypto Mining
This is a more recent issue, where Cryptocurrencies (such as Bitcoin) are mined using crypto mining software that is installed onto your computer in secret. These programs are both energy and resource intensive, negatively impacting your energy bill, Internet connection speed, and computer speed.
How to avoid
The best way to avoid this happening is much the same as how you avoid viruses and other types of malware: namely, avoid suspicious websites and emails. Your email's spam folder should be effective to keep any dangerous emails away from you. However, email spam filters can sometimes incorrectly label non-spam as spam, which means you have to go into your spam folder to retrieve it. When doing so, make 100 percent sure that the email you are retrieving is legitimate, and that you do not click on illegitimate ones in the process. Also, be mindful of Norton 360, which has its own mining software.
What if I've fallen victim?
If you have a crypto miner on your computer, your best bet is to use a program such as Malwarebytes to deal with it.
Denial of Service Attacks
Denial of Service attacks are attacks done with the intent of preventing users from accessing computers or networks. This is typically done by flooding a network with traffic, causing it to be so overloaded that it shuts down. This is mostly a risk for people who own a website, and there are methods to deal with them.
How to avoid
Honestly, one good way to avoid this happening is to try to avoid getting the wrong people upset with you. Denial of Service attacks are done for any number of reasons, one reason being a desire to mess up the network or system of someone they do not like. However, at some point, if you are big enough, there is nothing you can do to deal with it beyond preparing for an attack. One thing you can do is rate limit your network, which prevents your website from taking more than a set number of connections in a given time frame. Beyond that, however, if you have been the victim of such an attack, your best bet is to strengthen your website protections.
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