August 2, 2009

Different Virus Description & Characteristic Part 3

Continuation...........

MALICIOUS UTILITIES

These utilities are designed specifically to inflict damage.However, unlike other malware programs, they do not perform malicious actions immediately as they are run and can be safely stored and run on the user's computer.Such programs have functions used to create viruses, worms and Trojan programs, arrange network attacks on remote servers, hacking computers or other malicious actions.

There are many types of malware utilities with different functions.

Their types are described in the table below.
Click to download table in PDF form

POTENTIALY UNWANTED PROGRAMS

Potentially unwanted programs, unlike malware programs, are not intended solely to inflict damage.However they can be used to breach the computer's security.

Potentially unwanted programs include adware, pornware and other potentially unwanted programs.

ADWARE

Adware programs involve display of advertising information to the user.They display ad banners in other program's interface and redirect search queries to advertising websites.
Some adware programs collect and redirect to their developer marketing information about the user, for example, which sites he or she visits or which search requests he or she performs (unlike Trojan spies, these programs transfer this information with the user's permission).

PORNWARE

Usually, users install such programs themselves in order to search for or download pornographic information.

Intruders also can install these programs on the user's computer in order to display ads of commercial pornographic sites and services to the user without his or her permission.

To be installed, they use vulnerabilities of the operating system or web browser, Trojan downloaders and Trojan droppers. There are three types of pornographic nature distinguished based on their functions.

These types are described in the table below.
Click to download table in PDF form

OTHER RISKWARE PROGRAMS

Most of these programs are useful programs used by many users. They include IRC clients, dialers, file downloading programs, computer system activity monitors, utilities for working with passwords, FTP, HTTP or Telnet service internet servers.

However, if an intruder obtains access to these programs or install them to the user's computer, such intruder can use some of their functionality to breach the security. Other riskware programs are classified depending on their functions.

Their types are described in the table below.
Click to download table in PDF form

Until on my next post!

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