How Does Malware Get on Your System?

Malware is the term that is used to describe malicious software. Malicious software can come in the form of a virus, Trojan or spyware, and each can affect a system differently. Typically, this type of software can be detected as well as removed by using various anti-virus and anti-spyware removal programs. Malicious software can infect a computer system through many different ways depending on the actions of the user.

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E-Mail
- One of the most common ways that malware infects a computer system is by a user opening an infected e-mail attachment. In most cases the infected e-mail looks like a legitimate message or appears to come from a friend. When the attachment is opened the malware immediately starts to cause problems on the system.
Scripts
- Some types of malware will attempt to run a script of a small piece of computer code when a web page is visited. Many websites have javascript or some other scripting language that is needed to make the web page work correctly. A web page that has been compromised or set to run malicious code intentionally can spread malware.
Downloads
- Compromised websites on the Internet will attempt to download malware files onto a computer system, which can have various consequences. It is important to be aware of what a website or web page is displaying when it is visited. This is especially true when a pop-up box appears indicating that a particular file needs to be downloaded.
Installations
- Malware such as spyware can infect a system when a free program or shareware program is installed on a system. Many freeware or shareware programs call themselves "ad-supported" software. This means that the software is required to display ads in order to work correctly. Software of this type is constantly tracking and sending data.
Devices
- Devices such as a USB flash drive can contain malware such as a virus or Trojan than can infect a system when it is connected to a computer system. Malware usually gets installed though an infected autorun.inf file, which is used to automatically start software located on the drive.

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How Does Malware Get on Your System?

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