Tutorial Blog 4: Computer Security and Privacy

Many of us use the internet and store files in our computers on a daily basis. With such a high Internet use, it is inevitable to be exposed to dangerous websites, files, and software. However, we can all protect our computer files from being damaged or stolen by being informed about possible risks that lurk throughout the Internet. By becoming aware of some Internet dangers, you can take all the right steps to assure your computer is safe from malicious users. This blog will discuss some of the most common types of Internet attacks--such as viruses, worms, Trojan horses, and rootkits. It will also give you tips on how to protect your computer.

I'm sure you've heard of the term Malware. But what exactly is it?
Malware is a short name for "Malicious Software" which is a group of programs that purposely modify how computers operate without the user's knowledge. Malware can take over your Internet browser, deviate your search attempts, spit out many pop-up ads, and even keep track of what websites you visit. Sounds annoying and frustrating doesn't it? You're not alone, malware affects an immense number of users every year. Let me introduce you to a few types of malware:

Viruses
Computer viruses are one of the most infamous types of malware. It is a malicious program that infects a computer system without the user's consent. Once it is in the system, it will replicate itself, infect different system files, and then try to spread onto other systems. Many people get such viruses from E-mails and flash drives--which are commonly used mediums. Viruses will eventually slow down your system significantly and may require you to erase all the files on the computer.

Worms
Worms are self-replicating programs (usually on memory or a network) that use up resources and damage many files at a time. A worm is very similar to a virus, however, a worm tends to attach itself to a network and therefore affects thousands of files in a very short period of time. Usually, worms will delete files, or allow its creators to access and control the computer systems--which of course, can be tragic to corporations holding sensitive files on dozens of computers on a single network.

Trojan Horses
Trojan horses are programs that hide themselves within a legitimate program or pretends to be a safe program. The name is derived from the Greek myth of a wooden horse used to invade Troy. The program pretends to be harmless to the user, and can deliver many harmful attacks such as viruses, worms, and the like. A few source examples include friendly email attachments, and useful programs on a website. Unlike viruses and worms, trojan horses cannot replicate themselves; nevertheless, they can be extremely damaging. They can give a hacker control of your computer, delete files, infect files with viruses, and many other malicious features.

Rootkits
Rootkits are programs that hide in your computer and allow hackers to control it completely from a far location. Once installed, it gives hackers administrative control like changing settings, executing programs, accessing files, etc. Rootkits are very complex and sophisticated, thereby making it difficult to locate the hacker. Many times, hackers use rootkits to control a computer and launch other Internet attacks from that computer so its harder to find the malicious hacker.

If you believe your computer may be infected with some type of malware, please check for a few common symptoms, such as:

• Slow Operating System
• Corrupted files
• Less available memory than expected
• The Operating System does not start
• ...and many more! 

Now I know all these different types of threats can be overwhelming and very intimidating, however, you can protect yourself from these attacks as much as possible by downloading anti-viruses and setting up a firewall. These two safeguards are essential for protecting your computer, nonetheless, you must make sure to update them as the number of malware programs sharply increase monthly.

Anti-Viruses
Anti-viruses protect computers against malware by identifying "signatures" that viruses have. It scans for programs that try to alter the boot program, the OS, or any other programs. Once identified, it will remove it and give the user a report of the virus being removed. Anti-viruses have the option of running on "real-time" or "on-access" (meaning its constantly scanning). There are many different anti-viruses on the web, some are free and some require a fee. As a matter of fact, UF students can download the popular program McAfee for FREE from the Software Licensing Services.

Here's a snapshot of the Norton Symantec Anti-Virus I have installed on my MacBook:

Image provided by Albert Lopez, 2011.

Firewalls
A firewall is a utility program that protects a computer and its files from unauthorized intrusions by constantly monitoring all transmissions between the computer and the Internet. It specifically monitors everything going in and out of your PC's network card; it will block unauthorized access while hiding your PC from view on the Internet. It is very important that users set up a firewall even if its for personal use because hackers can access important data stored in a system. Moreover, many businesses use firewalls to keep their networks safe from outside intruders, and to protect sensitive information from their own employees. Both operating systems, Windows and Macintosh, include personal firewalls in their new computers. However, some users feel that they need more complex firewalls and go ahead and purchase such firewall programs from the market. My computer came equipped with a Mac OS X Firewall, as you can see in the snapshot below:

Image provided by Albert Lopez, 2011.

As you may know by now, the Internet can be a very risky place if you do not take the right steps to protect yourself and your computer files from cyber attacks. Becoming aware of such threats, downloading anti-malware programs, and keeping an eye out for the websites you visit, will certainly help you "surf the web" with minimal risks. I really hope this tutorial blog informed you about the different types of malware and what you can do to keep your computer safe from intruders.
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Useful References/Resources:
-http://www.software.ufl.edu/alphabetical_student.html
-http://www.opensec.org/internet-security/top-5-internet-security-threats
-http://www.microsoft.com/security/pc-security/protect-pc.aspx
-Shelly, Gary & Vemaat, Misty. Discovering Computers 2010. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning, 2010. Pp556-561.