Maheen Kanwal
- Sep 12, 2021
- 3 min read

How to Protect Yourself Against Malware; Types, Symptoms, Protection

Updated: Oct 30, 2023

Though technological advancements have made our lives much easier, there also exists a dark side to digitalization. Easier access to online information has raised privacy and security concerns.

Cybercrime is on the rise as hackers can easily access sensitive data through cyberattacks. According to Statista, there were over 5.6 billion malware attacks worldwide in 2020 alone.

To gain a deeper understanding of the damage malware can cause, let’s have a look at different types of malware and how to protect yourself against malware.

What is Malware?

Malware, short for “malicious software,” is an encrypted program developed by hackers to steal your data and harm your computer. The data breach gives them access to your personal and financial information, passwords and pins, health records, etc.

Though often interchangeably used with the term “virus,” a virus is just a type of malware. Other types include Trojan, ransomware, malicious crypto mining, worms, spyware, adware, bots, rootkits, malvertising, phishing emails, and many more.

Types of Malware

Tons of malware exist in various shapes that may harm not only your PCs but also mobile phones and connected devices. Let’s discuss a few major types of malware;

1. Virus

Just like a biological virus infects humans, a computer virus infects your PC or other devices that run the malicious file. It remains inactive until a user runs an infected file, an app, or opens an email attachment.

It modifies the host file and replicates itself to infect other systems. Once activated, a virus may steal your sensitive information or run some other attacks.

2. Trojans

Trojan horse or Trojan disguises itself as any other regular software program. It tricks users into downloading and running the program. Trojan poses a serious threat to your system once activated.

The most common types of Trojans are Remote Access Trojan (RAT) and Emotet. Unlike Viruses and Worms, Trojans can’t self-replicate or propagate on their own.

3. Worms

Worms are malware that exploit your system’s vulnerabilities to gain access and spread. Unlike viruses, worms don’t need any host program to spread to other computers and multiply the damage. They can infect a device via a downloaded file or through flash drives.

4. Ransomware

Ransomware is one of the most popular weapons of cybercriminals. Hackers use this malicious software to encrypt your data, block your access, and demand a payout in exchange for restoring your control.

Crypto-malware is a type of ransomware where hackers demand payment in form of Bitcoin or another cryptocurrency. Screen locking ransomware is another one that infects your smartphone and locks it until you pay a ransom.

Make sure you keep a regular backup of your important files on safe storage to recover from such attacks.

5. Spyware

As the name suggests, spyware operates secretly on your system and provides your activity report to the hackers. Unlike other viruses which disrupt your system operation, spyware silently gives access to your sensitive information to predators.

Hackers can keep tabs on your browsing habits, gain access to your personal information, including pins and passwords. Governments and law enforcement agencies legally use this software to protect confidential data.

6. Adware

Adware tracks your online activities and displays ads that might interest you. They’re usually harmless and appear as pop-ups or blinking ads that redirect you to some website.

Though Adware isn’t often malicious, sometimes it’s used by hackers to redirect you to unsafe sites where you might become a victim of Trojans or spyware.

7. Fileless Malware

Fileless malware are tricky and sneaky as they don’t exist in “files,” rather they’re memory-based (RAM). That’s why anti-virus can’t detect this type of malicious software. It targets legitimate programs such as WMI and Microsoft Powershell to infiltrate into other systems.

Keep your system and applications up-to-date and avoid phishing emails to avoid such malware.

Symptoms or Indications of Malware Infection

So the question arises, how can you detect whether or not your system is infected with malware? Here are some of the most common signs that your system has been compromised;

Slow PC performance
Increased CPU usage
Frequent pop-ups
Rebooting issues
Browser redirects
Freezing or crashing frequently
Strange icons on the desktop or in drives
Network connection issues
Phishing emails