Malware/Viruses. What is the most common way of getting infection?

Good article Capt. To me, all of the examples in the article are user initiated, so it just goes to show what is actually the most important security feature..........The user.

I don't think users understand the risk of downloading pirated software either; education may also be the key here.

Some good information in the links - it appears you might be safer surfing for and downloading porn (of the legal variety) than for copy-righted material! I would also suggest having e-mail addresses composing of garbage characters - I get nill spam in one of my accounts and little in another that I use for web purchases. I also have a dedicated e-mail for bank, ISP, etc. and use a password manager for all accounts.

Much of the advice is plain common sense - i.e. don't let the spammers and malware merchants get to you - there are lots of villains on the Net as there are in real life - there are ways to block unwanted telephone calls as there are for door-step callers, a simple policy of never listening to the former or buying from the latter and this should apply to the Net also. I have numerous unsafe practices but have never been infected perhaps because the safe practices outweigh the unsafe ones and I have to be more cautious because of the way I like to operate my system.

keebsuk said:

People, I am curious (not a good thing as it tends to get costly !) as to what is the most common, current means by way ones system becomes infected with Malware/viruses?

Andy

Hi there.

Without getting facetious here -- the most common way is you yourself as THE USER replying / giving away personal data or not reading the small (or even the MICRO) print on anything you might sign up to.

Just because a document purports to come from your Bank, Tax office etc etc ALWAYS check it out BY ANOTHER METHOD. Bankks etc NEVER request you for security details so they "Can update their records" !!!.

Never even OPEN far less reply to emails from people you don't know -- especially attachments.

Avoid also like the plague those "Free programs" that offer to find drivers or "speed up your system" as well. Some will find the drivers but then attempt to CHARGE you to get them for you -- most if not all drivers these days are in Public Domain so you should NEVER be charged for current drivers while some of the "Computer scanner" programs will probably contain adware requesting you "Go PRO" I.e PAY or contain worse.

Torrents surprisingly these days rarely contain malware in them especially if you are downloading music, video, e-books as these are usually played on devices OTHER than computers. (Pirated software is another matter though -- but even here it actually isn't that common any more since most torrent sites that survive are decently well "moderated" if that's what you can call it).

I don't support the use of acquiring copyrighted material -- but sometimes where I live there is NO CHANCE of ever being able to see some TV shows and they aren't available on DVD either so I have on occasion been guilty myself to using these methods to acquire material -- but I would be quite happy to PAY for the content if available legally.

C'mon HULA, NETFLIX etc -- you make the use of these services that are now so regionalized and restricted that you are HELPING piracy and not doing anything to help stamp it out. - These days with fast broadband these shows etc should be available WORLDWIDE -- there's no justification any more in showing just in one area at a time or only ever in one area - people don't watch TV like that now -- however this of course is another issue.

Dubious "Cloned" websites are another source of possible infection / fraud.

These are the sites that attempt to look like say a Bank or an airline etc -- you enter some details while the bogus site gets your data such as the credit card pin or whatever while passing you through to the REAL site so you are unaware you've been scammed.

If you want to be 100% safe do all your surfing on a Virtual Machine --if it gets infected just "Bin it and start a new one.

The money these days is rather in Identity theft, and Fraud rather than just hacking for its own sake which these days is regarded as rather Passe.

Determined hackers want to either wage Cyber war, create Dos (Denial of Service) for mega global corporations or publish material the Govt usually want kept hidden for the typical catchphrase these days "National Security". Just hacking individual computers isn't of significant interest - especially there isn't much money in it.

Identity fraud is also BIG business -- the value of a US / Canadian / EU/EEA passport on the Open Market is HUGE to people smugglers. A recent case in the UK found some "Illegal Immigrants" were paying up to 2,000 GBP for Fake passports. I'm sure the same is true for US passports and "Green Cards".

Hacking Individual computers is small beer these days -- and provided you act reasonably carefully and make sure you have some real time A/V protection -- W7 MSE is good enough or W8 the security built into the system-- you really shouldn't have problems with Malware etc.

Cheers
jimbo