Adware
Adware (advertising-supported software) is any software application which automatically plays, displays, or downloads advertising material to a user’s computer without users knowing it, or with their partial assistance. read more ...
Backdoor, Remote Access Tool/Remote Access Trojan (RAT)
Backdoor is a client-server type of application allowing remote access to a computer. The difference from common legitimate application with similar function is that the installation is done without user’s knowledge. read more ...
BIOS
BIOS – The Basic Input/Output System identifies, initializes and performs simple diagnostics to test an IBM PC compatible computer's hardware. read more ...
Boot Sector
Boot sector viruses attack boot sector of a hard disc to make sure that they run every time the computer is started. It is relatively older group of viruses. read more ...
Boot Sector Virus
Boot sector viruses attack the boot sector of floppy diskettes or the boot sector of a hard disk to ensure that their code is run each time the computer is started. Boot sector infection is an older vector for spreading viruses, but it has recently become more popular as a means of installing bootkits read more ...
Bootkit
A type of rootkit that infects the Master Boot Record or Volume Boot Record (VBR) on a hard disk drive in order to ensure that its code will be run each time the computer boots. read more ...
Bot
A bot is a program that performs a set of malicious actions as instructed by its operator read more ...
Botnet
Short for "bot network", this term is used to identify a group of Bots that connect to the same (or a number of) Command and Control server(s) operated by the same criminals. read more ...
Command and Control server
A Command and Control, or C&C, server is a computer used to coordinate the actions of computers infected by a bot, rootkit, worm or other forms of malicious software (malware) that rely on another computer for instructions and updates. read more ...
Companion Virus
Companion viruses replicate by exploiting the precedence hierarchy according to which the operating system executes program files based on their filename extensions. For example, under MS-DOS files with the extension .BAT (batch files) are executed before those with the extension of .COM which, in turn, are executed before those of an extension of .EXE. read more ...
DDoS
A Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack is when multiple computers make repeated requests for data to one computer or device read more ...
Dialer
A dialer is a program designed to redirect the user’s telephone connection (dial-up) to the Internet to use a premium rate number. read more ...
Downloader, Trojan-Downloader
These terms usually signify malicious programs, components or functionality whose (usually sole) purpose is to download additional (usually malicious) read more ...
Dropper, Trojan-Dropper
A trojan dropper is a type of malware that acts as a carrier, containing within itself another malicious executable. When launched, it “drops” or installs the contained file and executes it. read more ...
Encryption
The encoding of information in such a fashion that it is enciphered and cannot be read without first being decrypted. read more ...
File virus, Parasitic virus
File viruses – use individual files as hosts. Generally, these are always executable files, because the aim of malicious code is its replication. Most frequent are viruses with “.COM“, “:EXE“, “.BAT“ or “.SYS“ extension. read more ...
Firmware
A set of software programmed into a chip that is used to operate a specific hardware subsystem or configure a computer's hardware prior to it loading an operating system. read more ...
HIPS
Host Intrusion Prevention Systems protect your system from malware and unwanted activity likely to interfere with the running of your computer. read more ...
HLL viruses
Prior to the launch of Microsoft Windows 95, most computer viruses were compact programs written in assembly language. Computer viruses written in Ada, BASIC, C, C++. Delphi, FORTH, Visual BASIC and other programming languages read more ...
Hoax
There are many hoaxes sent as chain letters via email and social media, spreading because people are tricked into forwarding them, rather than through malicious code. read more ...