Assess Security Threats

• Security refer to the steps a computer user takes to prevent unauthorized use of or damage to a computer
• Malware is a broad term that describes any program designed to cause harm or transmit information without permission of the computer owner
• In order to protect computers against a virus, users should use antivirus software
• Spyware is software that secretly gathers information from your computer and then sends this data to a company or person that created it
• A firewall is like a locked door on your computer or network and prevents other computers on the internet from accessing it
• Criminals are relentlessly searching for new and aggressive ways of accessing computer users' personal information and passwords
  • A spoofed site is a fake website set up to look like a legitimate website
  • Phishing refers to the practice of sending email to customers or potential customers of a legitimate website encouraging them to click a link in the email
  • Pharming occurs when a criminal breaks into a DNS server and redirects any attempts to access a particular website to the spoofed site