The world has become a digitally dangerous place. The fact that the Internet is becoming more accessible and computers are becoming more ubiquitous than ever is enough reason to be worried about your online security. The reality is that it’s almost impossible to do anything on your laptop without worrying about an imminent system security threat. In this article, we’ve rounded up what we believe are the most common laptop security threats that you’ll encounter as you go about your business.
Malware
Malware, short for malicious software is a program that infiltrates your gadget with the intent of damaging or gaining access to your laptop. It could be a Trojan horse, spyware, virus, worm or any other malicious code.
Trojan horse
A Trojan horse is a program that masquerades itself as a regular application to dupe you into executing it. Once you download it, it infects your operating system and does all sorts of things. It can record your passwords, spy on you via your webcam, etc.
Viruses
A computer virus is a malicious, self-replicating software that spreads from one computer to another. While it could remain dormant in your system, it rarely does. Once a virus is executed, it can wreak havoc: it could delete data on your hard drive, steal valuable information, or simply render your computer unusable.
Spam
In the security context, spam refers to unsolicited messages sent via email. Not only are these messages a total nuisance but they can also clutter up your mailbox and take up a considerable amount of space on your server too. And while seemingly harmless at a glance, some spam messages contain links that could redirect you to websites containing malicious software.
Botnet
Simply, a botnet is a group of interconnected computers compromised and controlled by a hacker using a Trojan horse or virus. A botnet can perform all manner of actions including accessing targeted websites and distributing spam emails to each of the connected computers.
Worm
A worm is a self-replicating program that uses a computer network to spread. They are quite notorious and tend to replicate with the speed of light infecting trillions of computers in record time.
Using a VPN to Protect Your Laptop against Malware
Laptops, computers, mobile phones, and tablets all store a little part of who you are. From your passwords to your photos, contacts and financial information, it’s almost like they all carry a tiny piece of you with them. And so, it goes without saying that you need to protect your devices with all you have. However, while firewalls and anti-virus software aim to protect your data, they do little or nothing at all to protect your information while in transit leaving your computer vulnerable to malware. In fact, according to a recent study, just about 85% of all malware viruses are identified by firewalls and anti-virus software leaving 15% under the realm of possibility. Second to prevention, the next best way to keep your laptop protected against malware is to make use of VPNs. Unlike firewalls and anti-virus tools that wait to recognize the threat, VPN is more of a preventative measure that blocks malware from infiltrating your laptop before it happens. As soon as you access a website using a VPN application, your connection secure.
Verdict
These are some of the most common types of security threats that you’ll encounter in the course of using your laptop. And while the war is far from over, there are a couple of practices that you can follow to reduce the risk. Investing in a good VPN is a security measure that you should take to protect your data from attacks and to ensure your anonymity while surfing the internet. And since it requires a little investment, check out this promo code for a discount for one of the best VPN services out there: https://nordvpn.com/coupon/
