System Attacks
As computer users, we often just go about our lives, using our computers and networks and not even worrying about what may be out there waiting to attack our systems. Many attacks occur and the user has no idea that it is occurring or has occurred until something goes wrong with the system. System attacks occur when a hacker finds ways to take advantage of any vulnerability that your computer may have to gain access to the user’s system. One of the main ways that they do this is by delivering a Web page or an e-mail that contains a Trojan horse better known as a computer virus, which comes in several different forms. Denials of service attacks are another type of system attack that can attack a system via a computer site. In order to implement these attacks, the hackers use certain tools in order to get into the systems, and manipulate them. Although these attacks occur often on a daily basis, there are ways to protect our systems from these things whether it’s physical or some type of antivirus software. A virus is defined as “a small program that alters the way a computer operates without the knowledge of the computers users and often does different types of damage by deleting and corrupting data and program files, or by altering operating systems components, so that any computer operations are impaired or halted” (White) When the computer is infected with a virus, sometimes there is indication that it is there and sometimes it’s not. All viruses tend to present certain traits that give you clues to whether or not it is present on your computer. Some of these clues are: mysterious keyboard problems such as keys unexpectedly not working or not doing what they typically should; programs loading and performing much slower than normal; vanished data files or files that mysteriously will no longer open; computer hard drive filling up for no