The Difference Between Computer Viruses, Malware, Spyware, and Worms

To help avoid computer viruses, it's essential that you keep your computer current with the latest updates and antivirus tools, stay informed about recent threats, run your computer as a standard user (not as administrator), and that you follow a few basic rules when you surf the Internet, download files, and open attachments. Because new viruses are arriving every day, it is critical to keep your virus definitions up-to-date. Be sure to enable the scanning software's automatic-update feature and have it do so every day.

Make sure you use a fire wall. A firewall is a piece of software or hardware that sits between your computer and the network and only allows certain types of data to cross. For example, a firewall may allow checking email and browsing the web, but disallow things like Windows file sharing

With most things just a little information can help you protect yourself. What are the differences between Computer Virus, Worm, Malware, Adware, Trojan and Spyware?

• Virus is a program to cause damage to computer. Computer viruses also spread through downloads on the Internet. They can be hidden in illicit software or other files or programs you might download. Once a virus is on your computer, its type or the method it used to get there is not as important as removing it and preventing further infection. Viruses can be disguised as attachments of funny images, greeting cards, or audio and video files.


• A Worm is a program which infects the computers which are connected by some network. Worms slow down the network.


• Mal-ware is a program with malicious intention. It can be damaging your computer, spying on you or any other malicious task.


• Adware is a program which delivers ads to your computer (generally in POP-UP form). They consume your network.


• Trojan is a program which is used to gain access to a computer by installing a program on infected PC to open some backdoor. [Trojans are also known as Back-doors].


• Spyware is a program used to monitor/Log the activity performed on a computer. This is used to spy on someone either for legal or illegal purpose. Example: Key-logger applications.

Here are some indicators that your computer may be infected:

1. Your computer has become unstable. Does your computer seem to run slower than before?

2. Strange messages indicating that you can't access certain drives on your computer are another sign that something is wrong.

3. If you notice that file sizes are fluctuating even if you aren't accessing those files, that's another sign of a computer virus.

4. If your homepage has changed on its own

5. Other indicators include hardware (like printers) that don't respond to commands. While none of these guarantee the presence of a virus, they do suggest that something is wrong with your machine.

There are a few free programs that will help you to remove these viruses but remember those free program may have lack of features than a paid one. So i would highly suggest this for protection against viruses and hacker. Click here to protect your privacy data