Potentially unwanted applications come in disguise of software updates

 

Be careful of software updates

It has been noticed that cyber criminals are using genuine names to enter into the targeted victim’s PC. They are doing this by displaying random pop-up ads on many software’s most commonly on Internet Explorer, Firefox, or Google Chrome that prompts the user to update Adobe Flash Player, Java, media players, etc. These are utilized by digital culprits to infect the casualty's PC with adware and browsers hijack.

Cyber crooks are using pop-up ads to trick users into downloading malicious software. Many a times you get a pop-up prompting you to update your PC, even when the software is already up-to-date. If you click on this pop-up, it will download a malicious file on your computer which will further download potentially unwanted applications.

Such things are done by hackers for their own selfish motives like grasping the personal/ sensitive information of users or in order to acquire a ransom from them. They create such software’s that even if we decline a few installations, we are shown another window with other software. These kind of continuous prompts make the user somehow accept all conditions and proceed with the installation.

These softwares can simply be termed as “Unwanted”. When introduced, such programs represent an extraordinary risk to your PC and the data it contains. Several adware programs will interrupt activity by displaying constant pop-up windows, whether you are online or not. You may find that your web browser has been hijacked, perhaps replaced with offensive content and/or is riddled with unwanted ads. When typing into a search engine, your web requests may get redirected to other Internet locations. It may also modify default search engine, new tab and homepage settings of the browser.

A recent case happened with a person who while browsing on Amazon.com, found that on opening any product window, the page is injected with an ad showing us the price comparison of similar products from other shopping sites such as Paytm, Snapdeal, etc. This is nothing other than dangerous software’s by the cybercriminals, which once clicked can cause a lot of damage to your PC.

Preventive measures to be taken:

1.                 1. Make sure to download content from genuine websites only

2.    Never run an executable file which seems to be suspicious. For instance, if you are downloading an episode of Game of Thrones, do not run any file such as “Game Of ThronesS01E01.exe.” This can be dangerous

3.    Always opt for custom installation and do not select anything that is not familiar, especially optional software that you never wanted to download and install in the first place.

4.    Read the ‘Privacy Policy’ and ‘License Agreement’ of all software before installing them.

5.    Always keep browsers and other software up-to-date.

6.    Antivirus products can help track and detect such malicious activities. Make sure your antivirus is always up-to-date.