Reminder: Spyware/Malware infection

I’ve been seeing a great number of spam emails lately going in my inbox (good thing they’re not coming from office account). This prompted me to remind everyone to be extra careful when you received email of such. This email normally has a link that when clicked will automatically download spyware/malware or virus in your computer.





As rule of thumb, never ever click links in email no matter how normal or ordinary they may look like (especially if you didn’t expect receiving it). Verify first from the sender if it was sent directly to you.





As an example, the link above can install a malware program called Total Security Protection Center (as pictured below). Once you are infected (because you clicked the link you received in email), a report will keep on popping your screen showing you a summary list of the infected files or the infections you have in your computer. This annoying scam pop up will keep on asking you to download the program to disinfect your files and computer, but the truth is, it’s just trying to trick you to pay its licensed version. This is not only annoying but it can slow down your computer and worse, it even gather personal information or activities in your computer.




Source Wikipedia:

Malware, short for malicious software, consists of programming (code, scripts, active content, and other software) designed to disrupt or deny operation, gather information that leads to loss of privacy or exploitation, gain unauthorized access to system resources, and other abusive behavior

Spyware is a type of malware that can be installed on computers, and which collects small pieces of information about users without their knowledge.

Let’s be careful out there.