Myths and Facts: There are Many Myths About Computer Viruses:

 

Every error message indicates a virus infection. That's not true: Error messages can also occur due to hardware or software errors.

Viruses and worms only spread with user intervention. This is wrong. Although code must be executed for a virus to infect a computer, it does not require user interaction. For example, a network worm can automatically infect devices if certain vulnerabilities are present on the corresponding computer.

E-mail attachments from known senders are safe. This is not true: after all, known senders can also be infected with a virus and spread the infection. Even if you know the sender, don't open any attachments that you are not absolutely sure about.

Antivirus solutions stop all threats. While antivirus vendors do their best to keep up with the latest malware developments, they also need a comprehensive internet security solution that uses their technologies to block threats early on. And even then, 100 per cent protection cannot be guaranteed. It is therefore important to watch out for certain things while surfing in order to reduce the risk of an attack.

Viruses can cause physical damage. And what if malicious code causes your computer to overheat or damage critical chips? Virus protection providers have refuted this myth many times: Damage like this is simply not possible.

At the same time, the spread of networked IoT devices (Internet of Things) raises completely new questions: What if an infected vehicle is steered off the road or a smart oven is set to maximum heat until it is overloaded? With the current development of malware, such physical damage could become a reality in the future.

 

There is a lot of misinformation circulating about malware such as B. that infections can be detected. Often times, users believe that they would know if their computer was infected. However, malware usually leaves no traces, and your system will not display an infection alert.

 

Tweet: Usually, however, malware leaves no traces, and your system does not display an infection warning. Tweet it on!

And the same applies to the Internet: Don't just assume that all reputable websites are safe. When hackers infect legitimate websites with malicious code, it increases the likelihood that users will download the attacker's files or give them their personal information. According to Security Week, that is exactly what happened to the World Bank. At the same time, many users believe that their personal information, such as B. photos, documents and other files are of no interest to malware developers. However, cybercriminals often collect publicly available data in order to target individuals or to obtain information that can be used to gain access to corporate networks via spear phishing.

 

Common methods of infection

So how does virus or malware infect your computer? There are various ways of doing this, e.g. For example, you can access links in emails or social media messages that lead to malicious websites, visit an infected site (so-called drive-by downloads) or connect an infected USB flash memory to your computer. Vulnerabilities in operating systems and applications make it easier for cybercriminals to implement malware on the computers in question. It is therefore imperative to apply security updates as soon as they are released to reduce the risk of an attack.

 

Cybercriminals often use social engineering to trick you into taking an action that threatens your safety or the security of your company. Phishing emails are one of the most popular methods of doing this: you receive a legitimate-looking email convincing you to download an infected file or visit a malicious website. The hacker's goal is to compose compelling content, such as: For example, a virus alert, a notification from your bank, or a message from an old friend.

 

Cybercriminals target confidential data such as passwords. For this purpose, attackers not only use malware that can record entered passwords but also collect passwords from websites and other computers that they were previously able to hack successfully. It is therefore essential to set a separate and complex password for each online account. Each of these passwords should be at least 15 characters long and contain letters, numbers and special characters. This ensures that cybercriminals don't have to hack just one account to gain access to all of your online accounts. However, if the password is too easy to guess, cybercriminals may not even have to infect your computer or the website of one of your online providers to gain access to your accounts. Unfortunately, most users choose shockingly weak passwords. Instead of opting for combinations that are difficult to guess, they rely on classics such as “123456” or “Password123”, which of course do not pose a challenge to attackers. Even security questions are not an effective defence because many people choose the same answers. 

Signs of infection

Most malware leaves no trace or disrupts the normal operation of your computer. However, sometimes there are signs that your computer may be infected. The list of these signs is led by reduced system performance: This includes slow processes, slower window loading times, and random programs running in the background. A change in the browser homepage or an increase in the number of pop-up advertisements displayed is also a sign. In some cases, malware can also interfere with basic computer functions: Windows may no longer start, you may no longer be able to connect to the Internet or access higher-level system functions. If you suspect that your computer may be infected, you should scan your system immediately.