PC Safety

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PC Safety

• a.k.a. Viruses, Spyware, and Worms,Oh my!

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Notice

• Many of the more formal definitions and some of
  the pictures in these slides have been taken from
  Wikipedia on 4/10/2008

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PC Safety - Outline

• Malware
• Viruses/Worms
• Spyware/Adware
• Phishing
• Bot-Nets
• Spamming
• Denial of Service
• Password Cracking

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PC Safety - Outline

• Malware
• Viruses/Worms
• Spyware/Adware
• Phishing
• Bot-Nets
• Spamming
• Denial of Service
• Password Cracking

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Malware

• Malware defines any software that may be
  malicious or unwanted.
• It may include
• Viruses/Worms
• Spyware/Adware
• The terminology used to describe these threats is
  not always clearly defined. For example, some
  spyware spreads like a virus and some viruses spy
  like spyware.

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PC Safety - Outline

• Malware
• Viruses/Worms
• Spyware/Adware
• Phishing
• Bot-Nets
• Spamming
• Denial of Service
• Password Cracking

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Malware Viruses

• A virus is a computer program that can copy
  itself and infect another computer without the
  permission or the knowledge of the user.
• Wikipedia Contributors 4/10/2008
• Trojan Virus A virus hidden in an ordinary
  program that you use (like solitaire). When you
  run the program, the malicious virus is unleashed
  into your system.

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Malware Viruses/Worms

• A computer worm is a self-replicating computer
  program. It uses a network to send copies of
  itself to other computers on the network and it
  may do so without any user intervention.
• Unlike a virus, it does not need to attach itself
  to an existing program. Worms almost always cause
  harm to the network, if only by consuming
  bandwidth, whereas viruses almost always corrupt
  or modify files on a targeted computer.

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Malware Viruses

• Viruses used to be spread primarily via floppy
  disk
• With the birth of the Internet, viruses can
  rapidly spread via email, websites, and Internet
  connections
• USB keys also provide a very fast way to spread
  viruses

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Malware - Viruses

• Not all viruses intend to cause harm to your
  computer
• However, even harmless viruses can be
  problematic.
• They might accidentally crash your computer
• They might unintentionally slow down your network

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Malware - Viruses

• Symptoms
• New processes appearing with names like
• xyckkd.exe
• sysmsexec.exe
• winsyswrz.exe
• Viruses often randomly generate process names
• Computer running slower than usual
• Especially after start up or connecting to the
  Internet
• New files or folders appearing
• Emails being received by friends that you did
  not send

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Malware - Viruses

• Prevention
• Anti-Virus software
• This software actively monitors all the new
  files, emails, and data that enter your computer.
• If the new data contains a known virus, you are
  warned and the virus is removed.
• You must keep this software updated!
• Firewalls
• Because many viruses spread via Internet
  connections, a firewall can limit viruses that
  spread via a certain type of connection by
  blocking those types of connections

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Safe-Mode for Virus Removal

• Safe-Mode starts your computer with the minimal
  software required.
• To reboot into Safe-Mode, restart the computer
  and continuously press F8.
• When given a choice, select Start Windows in
  Safe-Mode using the arrow keys and press enter.
• In Safe-Mode, virus scans will be much more
  successful!

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Safe-Mode for Virus Removal
This can also be very helpful for maintenance
operations.
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Malware - Viruses

• Other considerations
• New viruses are very clever. They can hide very
  well. They can have contingency plans in case
  they are removed. They change their name and
  rewrite parts of themselves so they can not be
  detected.
• This is a hard problem to detect. Just because
  you have up-to-date protection does not guarantee
  you will get a virus.

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Malware Viruses

• Common Virus Payloads
• These are some things a virus may install
• Key logger Records every key you press
  including conversations, emails, passwords, and
  credit card information
• Backdoor Allows an attacker to have some secret
  entrance to your computer, through which he can
  gain control
• More Viruses

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PC Safety - Outline

• Malware
• Viruses/Worms
• Spyware/Adware
• Phishing
• Bot-Nets
• Spamming
• Denial of Service
• Password Cracking

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Malware - Spyware

• Spyware has recently become a major issue in
  computer security
• Spyware is computer software that is secretly
  installed on a PC to intercept or take partial
  control over the user's interaction with the
  computer, without the user's informed consent.
• Wikipedia Contributors 4/10/2008

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Malware Spyware/Adware

• Adware typically refers to any software that
  displays adds on your computer
• Some respectable software is adware
• You can use the software for free, but they show
  you advertisements
• A lot of malicious software is adware
• They bombard you with unwanted advertisements to
  make a profit
• Many browser tool bars claim to provide you a
  service, but really just want to make money off
  of you

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Malware Spyware

• Spyware can
• Collect various types of personal information
• Internet surfing habits, sites visited, credit
  card info
• Display tons of advertisements
• Install additional software
• Redirecting web browser activity
• Generating advertising revenue to a third party

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Malware - Spyware

• Symptoms
• New icons appearing on your desktop
• Especially for online casinos and games!
• Frequent pop up advertisements
• New unwanted toolbars or home page in your
  browser
• Your web browser keeps redirecting you to sites
  that you do not want to visit
• Computer running slower than usual
• Especially after start up or connecting to the
  Internet
• New programs frequently appearing in the Start
  Menu and on the Desktop

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Malware - Spyware

• Prevention
• Anti-Spyware software
• This software checks known spyware locations for
  known spyware and removes it.
• You must keep this software updated!
• Be careful about the websites you visit and the
  programs you choose to install
• Often times the Terms of Use will secretly allow
  them to legally spy on you or install more
  programs!!!

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PC Safety - Outline

• Malware
• Viruses/Worms
• Spyware/Adware
• Phishing
• Bot-Nets
• Spamming
• Denial of Service
• Password Cracking

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Phishing

• Phishing is an attempt to criminally and
  fraudulently acquire sensitive information, such
  as usernames, passwords and credit card details,
  by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an
  electronic communication.

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PC Safety - Outline

• Malware
• Viruses/Worms
• Spyware/Adware
• Phishing
• Bot-Nets
• Spamming
• Denial of Service
• Password Cracking

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Bot Nets

• Online criminal organizations and hackers take
  over 1000s of computers using viruses and/or
  worms
• A Bot Net refers to having an network of
  computers that robotically do whatever you
  request of them
• Your computer may be part of one or more bot nets
  right now

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PC Safety - Outline

• Malware
• Viruses/Worms
• Spyware/Adware
• Phishing
• Bot-Nets
• Spamming
• Denial of Service
• Password Cracking

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PC Safety - Outline

• Malware
• Viruses/Worms
• Spyware/Adware
• Phishing
• Bot-Nets
• Spamming
• Denial of Service
• Password Cracking

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PC Safety - Outline

• Malware
• Viruses/Worms
• Spyware/Adware
• Phishing
• Bot-Nets
• Spamming
• Denial of Service
• Password Cracking

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Support Tips

• Do not wait to address the problem if you think
  you have a virus, spyware, or adware
• Do what you can to address the issue (run a virus
  scan, spyware scan, or adware removal program)
• Call the Technology Help Desk if you need
  professional assistance (412-624-HELP)

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Support Tips - Prevention