What should I look for when protecting my system?
Threats today have become more complicated. They tend to use multiple vectors to spread, thus increasing their chances of infection. Once on the system, these threats tend to show little to no symptoms so they can survive undetected. RAS IT has years of experience dealing with these threat. We can help.
Vulnerabilities
Vulnerabilities are flaws in computer software that create weaknesses in the overall security of the computer or network. Vulnerabilities can also be created by improper computer or security configurations. Threats exploit the weaknesses of vulnerabilities resulting in potential damage to the computer or personal data.
Software and Hardware companies announce vulnerabilities as they are discovered and quickly work to fix the vulnerabilities with software and security "patches" .
Spyware
Spyware can be downloaded from Web sites, email messages, instant messages, and from direct file-sharing connections. Additionally, a user may unknowingly receive spyware by accepting an End User License Agreement from a software program.
Spyware frequently attempts to remain unnoticed, either by actively hiding or by simply not making its presence on a system known to the user.
Spam
Email Spam is the electronic version of junk mail. It involves sending unwanted messages, often unsolicited advertising, to a large number of recipients. Spam is a serious security concern as it can be used to deliver Trojan horses, viruses, worms, spyware, and targeted phishing attacks.
Messages that do not include your email address in the TO: or CC: fields are common forms of Spam.
Some Spam can contain offensive language or links to Web sites with inappropriate content.
Malware
Malware is a category of malicious code that includes viruses, worms, and Trojan horses. Destructive malware will utilize popular communication tools to spread, including worms sent through email and instant messages, Trojan horses dropped from web sites, and virus-infected files downloaded from peer-to-peer connections. Malware will also seek to exploit existing vulnerabilities on systems making their entry quiet and easy.
Malware works to remain unnoticed, either by actively hiding or by simply not making its presence on a system known to the user.
Phishing
Phishing is essentially an online con game and phishers are nothing more than tech-savvy con artists and identify thieves. They use SPAM, malicious Web sites, email messages and instant messages to trick people into divulging sensitive information, such as bank and credit card accounts.
Phishers, pretending to be legitimate companies, may use email to request personal information and direct recipients to respond through malicious web sites.
Phishers tend to use emotional language using scare tactics or urgent requests to entice recipients to respond.
The phish sites can look remarkably like legitimate sites because they tend to use the copyrighted images from legitimate sites.
Requests for confidential information via email or Instant Message tend to not be legitimate.
Fraudulent messages are often not personalized and may share similar properties like details in the header and footer.