In the digital world, viruses come in various forms. Some multiply itself in a computer to eat up its resources, while others lock up essential data to force the owner to pay up in hopes of recovering the data.
Regardless of the type of virus, however, they’re all dangerous?and you want none of them to be found in your computer! Unfortunately, viruses have evolved throughout the years, becoming more sophisticated and harmful, making them even harder to detect and fight back against!
With that said, here is a list of some of the major viruses that have wreaked havoc for the past five years, and some tips on how you can be prepared for future ones.
MEMZ was a virus that spread early on in 2016. It essentially destroys an infected computer, rendering it completely useless.
Those who have unfortunately dealt with MEMZ can remember being forced to restart their computers and read the message: “Your computer has been trashed by the MEMZ Trojan. Now enjoy the Nyan cat?” This is then followed by a video of the internet meme ?Nyan Cat.? Of course, this didn’t bode well for Nyan Cat’s reputation, but this was the least of the worries of the online world when having to deal with such a destructive virus!
Appropriately named for the despair one can feel when faced with it, this virus was a type of ransomware that encrypted data on a computer and forced individuals to pay up in hopes that the files would be decrypted and given back. During the initial phase of Wannacry in 2017, a killswitch was discovered, effectively stopping it in its tracks. Unfortunately, an updated version of Wannacry came out not too long after, leaving no killswitch and rendering it virtually impossible to destroy.
Titanium was one of the most advanced malware of its kind in 2018, making it extremely hard to detect and even harder to purge. The malware worked by secretly downloading malicious files into the computer, using file-less technologies that made it incredibly hard?if not impossible?to detect.
Another type of malware called BASHLITE unleashed its attacks in 2015 on servers by ?DDoS-ing? (denial-of-service) them. It also garnered plenty of other nicknames, such as Gafgyt, Qbot, and multiple others?all of which unleashed their attacks on Linux systems.
How to prepare yourself for future attacks
With viruses only getting harder to detect, you must protect yourself from future attacks. There are many ways you can do this, most of which rely on some simple common sense.
For example, you should always be careful when opening emails, especially when it comes from senders you do not know about. Keeping your systems updated from legitimate sources is also vital to ensure not only your systems are up to date with the latest security patches, but that these updates themselves are genuine and not virus-ridden. Beyond that, avoid clicking on strange links from pop-ups, as these can be malicious to your system!
It is unfortunate that computer viruses are an actual threat in our society. There will always be those looking to hinder a person?s lives, whether it be through physical or digital means. With technologies advancing, the threat of a virus attack will always loom?which is why preparing yourself to be ready to fight these attacks is vital.
That being said, prevention is always better than cure! By adequately educating yourself as to how to prevent these viruses from infecting your computer in the first place, the safer you are from their threat.
Are you looking for IT support services in the Gold Coast to help you out with virus protection and removal? Mobile PC Pro offers expert technicians that can solve various PC-related problems, from virus removal to data recovery. Connect with us today and let us help safeguard you from online threats!