Why the Need For Internet Security in the First Place?

Have you ever had to constantly get your laptop checked because of viruses that corrupt your files? Just recently, I got my laptop checked, and what do you know, I had more than a hundred viruses that made my laptop their virtual home. Considering that I downloaded only just a couple of songs, it really is amazing how that happened. No wonder my computer had been playing tricks on me, playing "freeze" on me just when I was in the middle of something important (playing Plants vs. Zombies is classified as a life and death situation in my vocabulary).

Anyway, that made me curious. I needed to protect my computer. But before I could understand WHY I needed protection for my computer, I had to know WHAT I needed protection from. And so I did a little Research and came up with some information that could eventually HELP YOU avoid the same tragic tale that I had. Information is power. And so I came up with the following:

• Virus (also referred to as bug) - just like the physiologic virus, a virtual virus has the ability to replicate itself, either by structure or by function. It works by attacking or attaching itself to already existing files in your computer. It works by deleting, corrupting, or hiding information that threatens the integrity of your computer.

• Worms- just like viruses, worms can work by replicating itself but it can reach over an extensive computer network or society and in just a matter of minutes if not seconds. The best example of a worm is the ILOVEYOU worm that was able to penetrate even the strictest security of the Pentagon in just over a day from its release from the Philippines (its country of origin).

• Trojans- just like to Trojan horse (from which its name was based), this program is set to appear different from that of which it was originally made for. It may appear like a harmless program that you download to your computer, but it may end up stealing information, or corrupting your network.

• Spyware- from its root word "spy", it is designed to monitor the functionality of your computer, and sends these information to outside parties without consent.

• Bots- are designed to take over, control, & utilize the information found in your computer & sent to another network without consent.

• Malwares- is the general term that can be used for all programs designed to break into your personal system and cause various problems.

In order to avoid the above-mentioned problems, it is important to be constantly aware of the updates concerning Internet Security. It is no wonder that all the problems above can be acquired through the still not fully secured World Wide Web.

There are several programs-downloadable- in order to protect you computer from problems posed by the Internet. One important key factor before choosing such programs is the integrity of the provider, because there are providers that- instead of giving protection- are the ones who introduce the problems in the first place.

Tina L. Douglas is a well established author on the topic of internet security.

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