Introduction:

Almost every day on the news we hear of the horror stories of rogue software, key loggers which hold peoples and even companies systems hostage to this unwanted software. Not only is the experience time consuming but it can be extremely expensive at times to recover from these problems. Due to the hidden installations of these types of software, if the user does not have the required defenses in place to protect themselves, sometimes a complete format and reinstallation of the operating system is needed.

Spyware

Spyware has become a generic term that also includes adware, malware and many trojans. Such programs usually have inter-related behavior and features and are commonly referred to as spyware. Most spyware can be broken up into two major groups which are adware and malware. All spyware are rogue software programs that typically install themselves without a user's knowledge. You can get infected with spyware, malware and other malicious programs just by visiting a website. Many spyware experts have noted that no one anti-spyware product catches all malware and spyware. That's why some spyware appears so invincible.

Malware

This category of software is designed to send itself from and to your e-mail program. Malware and the other categories of software which are mentioned in this article, are usually limited to the most popular operating system, which is currently that of Microsoft's Windows Operating System. The obvious reason for this is that there is a larger user base out there for this rogue software to attack. However, this continues to change as Apple's Macintosh and various Linux Operating Systems gain more market share. One of the first signs of malware is the slowing down and lack of responsiveness by your computer.

Trojans

Trojans take their name from the term 'Trojan Horse' which dates back to Greek history and the war between Troy and Sparta. It spreads itself by posing as legitimate software. The term Trojan has usually been used to refer to malware that performs unexpected or unauthorized actions. Unlike viruses or worms, trojan horses do not replicate themselves. Their danger is in causing damage to networks by delivering other types of malware. The trojan malware can record web browser form data to capture online banking credentials and send the stolen data to the author of the program.

Final thoughts

In conclusion, we have seen that malware is short for malicious software and a catch all phrase for viruses, worms, adware, spyware, trojans, etc. Having said all of this however, hope is not lost. There are many trust worthy, reliable programs out there which when combined with other programs, do a great job of removing and reducing these problems in the future. Hence a well rounded defense would consist of antivirus software, antispwyare and a firewall. Finally here is a recent article on Eweek http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,2136282,00.asp talking about how a key logger evaded antivirus products. This simply shows that you need multiple layers of detection to even make a dent in your defence.