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Viruses and spyware are programs installed on your machine usually without your knowledge and both are equally troublesome to computer users.
Spyware are programs that can monitor your activities on the internet (visited sites, clicks), collect various types of personal information, install software without your permission, and redirect to other unwanted Internet pages.
Viruses are programs that also can capture information on your computer, damage or delete information, and slow down your computer. The biggest difference between spyware and a virus is that the virus can copy itself and spread from one machine to another while spyware stay in your computer.
A lot of the time the virus is the first thing that gets on your machine, then it will take action and download spyware to the infected computer without your knowledge. Sometimes they work hand in hand and sometimes you may just get infected by one.
Linux
The Linux operating systems are the least affected by malicious software. I am sure you have heard this before but on a Linux computer it is quite difficult run malicious software. To activate or install software that is continually active or expanding a ‘root’ password has to be given. Also, Linux operating systems include a built-in firewall called “iptables” that simply drops all uninvited incoming connections by default.
Does that mean Linux is virus and spyware free? No. The viruses/spyware that has infected Linux computers have been associated with unexamined installs/downloads or Windows software running within the Linux computer.
Linux users still need to protect their computer from the ever-growing attack software. These four helpful hints should keep your Linux computer infection free:
1) Make sure the firewall is turned on,
2) Install antivirus protection,
3) Stick to software in the repositories and
4) Limit your Wine (hint: always have Clam with your Wine).
Mac OS X
The next operating system victim is Mac OS X. According to the Apple website, “a Mac is 100 percent safe from viruses designed to attack PCs,” and then continues to write that no computer is 100% immune to all viruses and spyware (http://www.apple.com/getamac/faq/). Apples are safe from viruses that attack PCs; but there is Mac specific malicious software. Luckily Apple is running on Unix and like Linux a password is needed to install all software or continuously run anything.
Mac computer are not 100% safe and users have two courses of actions:
1) Rely on Apple updates or
2) Along with Apple updates take actions to protect your computer.
If you are going to take initiative and protect your Mac here are a few suggestions:
1) Make sure the firewall is turned on,
2) Install antivirus protection,
3) Stick to software from Apple and
4) limit your use of Windows VM.
Windows
The final and most popular operating system is Windows. Windows is also the easiest target with over 97% of all malicious software specifically to attack this operating system.
Why does Windows have so much more malicious software attack? Some say it is because Windows is a popular operating system. That is false. Apple and Ubuntu (Linux Distro) are gaining users and should see an influx of attacks, but it is not happening. The focus remains Windows.
Also, Apple and Linux tend to be much more secured, faster at fixing security vulnerabilities when found and fix the fundamental issue that allows the malicious attack to work. Microsoft has a habit of simply blocking that specific attack, therefore a very simple variations on the same attack will work just as well as the original did. That is supposed to change with MSE (http://tinyurl.com/ttmse)
Bottom Line
Is there a way to protect your computer 100%? Yes, never turn it on.
There are ways to keep your computer relatively safe:
1) Update the protection software and definitions,
2) install all updates,
3) don’t open emails from anyone unknown,
4) do not install anything from the internet until you have scanned it for viruses and have done research and
5) don’t download anything unless you are 100% sure it is safe.
Must Read: Anatomy of a Malware Scam (http://tinyurl.com/tthacker)
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