1. One of the most significant threats that a good piece of
up-to-date antivirus software can help you eliminate is the
threat of data loss. If you use your computer for business,
then you may have some pretty important data on there,
such as customer databases, sales records, and expense
reports. Thus, a computer virus could potentially be just as
harmful to your financial health as to your system's
health. Even of you don't use your computer for business,
you still could have thousands of dollars worth of files on
there, not to mention the sentimental value of files such
as digital family photos and video footage. Still, there are
more specific threats, particular types of viruses, that are
actually what your software protects you from directly.
3. Two of the most common threats to your computer are
adware and spyware, which we'll discuss later. If you're
unfamiliar with these terms, the following explanations
should help out tremendously. First, adware is short for
advertising-supported software. It refers to a software
package that automatically plays, displays, or downloads
advertising to your desktop or laptop. Quite often, adware
is found in the form of pop ups, some of which, when
closed, only open more ads. Adware is used to generate
traffic and revenue for the author of the software. While
this type of software by itself is harmless, many times it
comes with more harmful additions, like keyloggers and
spyware.
5. Spyware is a type of malware (malicious software) that is
typically installed secretly on your computer, where it
collects private information about you. Though it is usually
hidden from users, sometimes people choose to install
spyware like keyloggers in order to monitor the computer
usage of others. Spyware can be relatively harmless, or it
can be very dangerous. Some types only collect browsing
trends and patterns, while others record much more
personal information, like bank account information.
Other common practices of spyware include changing
browser settings, like a home page, without user
authorization and downloading unwanted software and
programs. Many times, an individual will only notice
something is wrong because of slow computer
performance. It is a serious concern because rarely does
7. Worms and Trojan horses tend to be more damaging than
spyware, though not always. Worms are programs
essentially designed to send copies of themselves to other
computers. They generally always cause at least some
harm to networks, even if it's only the harm of consuming
bandwidth. That's why they can get into your system more
easily than some of the other risks if you aren't careful.
The most common way worms are spread is through
unexpected email. Trojan horses steal information from
you or harm your system in addition to performing some
desirable function. All of these risks are ones of which the
creators of ant-virus software are intricately aware, and
they are constantly vigilant in their quest to protect you,
your hardware, and your data from them.