Reference no: EM132891952

Malicious software is also known as malware is software created to gain access/damage a CPU without the knowledge of the owner. Types of malware include spyware, worms, keyloggers, and true viruses or any type of malicious code that infiltrates a computer (Ronen et al., 2018).

Malware was created for pranks and activism but, has evolved into vandalism and theft. Much of today's malware can be found in the form of adware which allows profiting through forced advertising. Spyware allows systems to be compromised allowing sensitive information to be stolen and ransomware which is generally used for extortion. A prime example of a ransomware attack is the Colonial Pipeline attack which highlighted the US vulnerabilities of the country's critical infrastructure. Hackers were able to obtain data from a fuel company, scramble that information, and held it until the ransom is paid.

Numerous factors can leave a system vulnerable to attacks. OS defects in design and allowing users to have advanced permissions are causes of system vulnerabilities to attacks. Ensure your system security by using a firewall in an OS. Firewalls try to protect systems from outsiders gaining control/access to the system. Make sure the system automatically updates software. This will allow patches for OS defects. It is the feature provided in an operating system that assists users with keeping programs updated according to time, including software, drivers, etc gets pushed without manual interaction (Vinayakumar et al., 2019). Finally, the use of antivirus software along with spyware and malware detection software.