What Is Malicious Code?

Malicious code. It's like a virus, except it doesn't have to be transmitted from one person to another and doesn't have to take over your entire body. Oh, and it causes damage to computers and systems. If you thought viruses were terrible, wait to see what malicious code can do! Malicious code is code that causes injury to a computer or system. It is not easily or solely controlled through the use of anti-virus tools. Malicious code can either activate itself or be like a virus requiring a user to act, such as clicking on something or opening an email attachment to start the harmful effect of the code. It's not just about the computer. It's about everything that's connected to that computer. It's about networks. It's about the email messages you send and receive, the files you store in those networks, and even the information you enter into your browser. Malicious code can spread through these avenues like a virus, destroying anything it touches, sometimes without your knowledge. It can infect your computer with viruses or worms, steal sensitive information from your networks, send out spam emails on your behalf even delete files! That's why It is crucial to be aware of the exploits used against browsers (and other programs) to protect yourself from them as much as possible. What is the best way to protect your computer from infection? Don't ever let it get infected in the first place. If you're not careful, you can end up with malware, viruses and other nasties on your hard drive, which can stink up your life. So what's the best way to keep them off your computer in the first place? Install anti-virus software as soon as you set up your computer. Make sure it's updated regularly, too. Remember good computer habits! Never open email attachments from unknown sources or install media from unknown sources. If you've got old software that was last used a while ago? Could you get rid of it? That way, there's no room for malicious code to sneak in through an unused program port.