| Word | Description |
| Adware | Adware is any software that displays or downloads advertisements while the software is in use. This may sometimes be a conscious decision on the part of the application developers in order to be able to generate revenue to continue development of the application. Other times, it could be installed by an application acting as another form of malware, such as a trojan or spyware. While there are applications designed to detect and remove adware, since it is not always installed separately to an application these applications may not always be able to remove all adware. |
| back door /n./ | A hole in the security of a system deliberately left in place by designers or maintainers. The motivation for such holes is not always sinister; some operating systems, for example, come out of the box with privileged accounts intended for use by field service technicians or the vendor's maintenance programmers. |
| bandwidth /n./ | Used by hackers (in a generalization of its technical meaning) as the volume of information per unit time that a computer, person, or transmission medium can handle |
| Bot | A 'bot' is a type of malware which allows an attacker to gain complete control over the affected computer. Computers that are infected with a 'bot' are generally referred to as 'zombies'. There are literally tens of thousands of computers on the Internet which are infected with some type of 'bot' and don't even realize it. Attackers are able to access lists of 'zombie' PC's and activate them to help execute DoS (denial-of-service) attacks against Web sites, host phishing attack Web sites or send out thousands of spam email messages. Should anyone trace the attack back to its source, they will find an unwitting victim rather than the true attacker. |
| Malware | Malware is a general, catch-all name given to computer software that is designed to get onto a computer without the users permission and either damage a system (an individual application, functionality, or operating system), or send information, act as an annoyance. |
| Rootkit | A rootkit is an form of malware that installs itself at a very deep level of the operating system, and as such can prove itself very difficult to remove. They are often designed to take advantage of, or change the operation of fundamental functions the operating systems provides. Rootkits can be used to change the behaviour of an operating system, to allow other forms of malware or other attackers access to the system, or to perform the functions of other types of malware at a level that is very difficult to detect. Rootkits are not always designed to do bad, however, and some security software can use rootkits or rootkit techniques to hide themselves from forms of malware designed to remove security tools. |
| Spy Software | Spy software is a commercially available software program designed to capture and record your computer activity. Your keystrokes, chat conversations, websites visited literally everything you do while you are on a computer are recorded for later retrieval by the spy software program owner. |
| Spyware | Spyware is software that installs itself on your computer without your permission and interfere with your actions on your computer. It can also be used to collect information about you, for example what websites you visit, or even financial information. Spyware can be used to change settings on your computer, redirect your web browsing, and install other software on your computer without your permission. It can be used to allow entry to other forms of malware to your computer. Unlike viruses and worms, spyware does not usually self-replicate. Instead, it is usually installed on a computer by making the user think they are installing something else (acting as a trojan), or by exploiting a weakness in the operating system or an application. Sometimes spyware might even be included with a legitimate application installer. |
| Trojan | A Trojan Horse (or simply just trojan) is a form of malware that infects your computer by disguising itself as a harmless file. Once the file is opened or run on your computer, the trojan is able to infect the computer as intended. Strictly speaking trojans don't copy themselves from computer to computer, they rely on manipulating the user into believing the file is harmless. However, other forms of malware may use trojans or trojan techniques to copy themselves from computer to computer, relying on the user to accept the file. |
| Virus | A virus is the name given to one specific type of malware. A virus is designed to infect your computer files by making copies of itself in your system. It may spread from computer to computer if two computers are networked in such a way as one can read and write to the others files. Strictly speaking, viruses are unable to spread themselves to another computer by themselves without being transferred with a "host" infected file. Viruses may designed to cause problems with your computer, send information to the designer, or interfere with day to day computing. |
| Web Site Monitor | Process name: Web Site Monitor Product: Microsoft® Windows® Operating System Company: Microsoft Corporation File: webcheck.dll "webcheck.dll" is used for web site monitoring by Internet Explorer. But there are some worms and virus which replace webcheck.dll. See: WORM_MYDOOM.K - trendmicro.com MyDoom / Novarg - symantec.com Get more detailed information about webcheck.dll and all other running background processes with Security Task Manager. Note: Any malware can be named anything - so you should check where the files of the running processes are located on your disk. If a "non-Microsoft" .exe file is located in the C:\Windows or C:\Windows\System32 folder, then there is a high risk for a virus, spyware, trojan or worm infection! |
| webcheck.dll | Process name: Web Site Monitor Product: Microsoft® Windows® Operating System Company: Microsoft Corporation File: webcheck.dll webcheck.dll (Web Site Monitor Dll) - Details Webcheck.dll is required by windows and is used for monitoring web sites. If webcheck.dll is unavailable, windows will not function correctly. webcheck.dll is flagged as a system process and does not appear to be a security risk. However, removing Web Site Monitor Dll may adversly impact your system. The Process Server database currently registers webcheck.dll to Microsoft. This is part of Microsoft Windows. "webcheck.dll" is used for web site monitoring by Internet Explorer. But there are some worms and virus which replace webcheck.dll. See: WORM_MYDOOM.K - trendmicro.com MyDoom / Novarg - symantec.com Note: Any malware can be named anything - so you should check where the files of the running processes are located on your disk. If a "non-Microsoft" .exe file is located in the C:\Windows or C:\Windows\System32 folder, then there is a high risk for a virus, spyware, trojan or worm infection! |
| Worm | A worm is a program designed to use a computer network to send copies of itself to other computers, usually without the users knowledge or permission. While some worms have been designed to change settings or behavior on the infected computer, all worms are designed to cause issues for infected networks by spreading quickly from machine to machine and consuming available bandwidth. More dangerous worms can also install software on a users computer (such as spam email servers), or change settings and manipulate data on your system. |