Week 10 Post - Malware 101

 Viruses, worms, and trojans are all different kinds of malware, but how they are spread and operate has distinct differences. A virus is put into legitimate files or programs, so when those are used the virus is activated. Once activated it then can damage files, damage the system performance, and infect other files on the system. Worms on the other hand do not need the user to activate them, they replicate on their own and spread through networks automatically. Trojans take the image of a harmless or useful software, tricking the person into installing them on their system. While viruses and worms look to replicate, a trojan strength is in the deception it uses and hidden functions. 

The big differences in these threats is how they infect and spread. Viruses are like a hitchhiker, needing to be moved from one place onto the user system. Worms work on their own using vulnerabilities in networks to spread quickly without permission. Trojans use stealth, using aspects of social engineering to gain access. All three have the ability to do major damage to a system, or stealing important data. Knowing how they work can help users implement strategies targeting these threats, like keeping software updated, having firewalls active, and monitoring the things they download, to help protect from these unique kinds of attacks each malware provides.