What is the difference between Antivirus and Anti- malware?

You must have heard the term Antivirus and anti-malware. But do you know the difference between them? And how they work?

Some time back, PC users were only worried about viruses that would be safeguarded by simple and free Antivirus software’s. But with advancement in technology and increase in the number of internet users things have changed drastically. The internet has pervaded our day to day lives and cybercriminals too have made it tough for us. Earlier simple viruses were made that would be detected easily, but now the scenario has changed and it’s not the old simple virus that they are programming these days. Apart from viruses, now we have things like adware, Trojan horse, ransomware, spyware, etc. Hackers try their best to get into all kinds of networks in order to get away with all kind of personal data including your credit card and banking details. Many a times they also track your contact list and can send unwanted emails. They do this in order to earn money themselves or sell out this data to others.

Malware is seen to be a generic term while virus is a much more specific one.  Virus is an unwanted piece of software, which is developed to hamper the smooth functioning of computers. It can enter a PC via external drives or through the internet. On the other hand malware refers to all kinds of malicious software that includes viruses, adware, Trojans, worms, etc causing issues which made it a must for us to use antivirus software. Thus along with it you also need to go for an anti malware program as well.

Nowadays security companies have specially designed antivirus and anti-malware programs for Mac, windows or smartphones. The features of these programs are also very advanced.

A thorough understanding of antivirus and anti malware program will prove out to be very crucial in the ever persistent fight against viruses and malware in general.

How to identify the fake apps in Google Play Store?

Be careful while installing apps from the Google Play Store

Take out a minute and think for a while, what is the first thing that we do as soon as we get a brand new phone? We quickly download all kinds of apps be it games, messaging, wallpapers and so on. But are we fully sure about what is contained in these apps? How safe they are? Google Play store has many a times been in the news for being infested with fake and malicious apps. Thus we should be very careful while installing apps on our mobile phones to ensure that it does not land us in the hands of scammers and hackers.  So here are a few simple steps to identify the fake apps in the Google Play store.

1.      The first thing that you need to do a little research about the app that you are about to install. Also research a little about the developer of that particular app. You can find this name very easily as it is placed right below the app. A genuine developer will have a website and other details of his work.

Check out for the developers name!!

2.      Another thing that can be considered is the editor’s profile. If his/ her profile contains tags like “Top Developer” or “Editor’s choice” then they are least likely to be false.

3.      Also make sure to read all apps permission carefully. Make sure the permissions asked by an app comply with its functions and features. For example, if an app like Skype requires your permission to access SMS, Call logs, media files then it is genuine, but if a gaming app asks for the same permission then it is seriously a bad app.

4.      Going through the user ratings and reviews are also very important.

Read the ratings & reviews of the user

5.      Another very easy and cool way to find out whether an app is genuine or not is to directly ask Google whether that particular app is genuine or not. If the app has a bad reputation, it will automatically be visible in the search results.

Google play store might contain apps that are risky but it is far way much safer than the unofficial or third party app stores. You might be tempted to download such apps as huge discounts are offered but keep in mind that you will be risking your privacy and security by doing this. You should also keep in mind that hackers and scammers are one step ahead of us in everything and they are always alert and keeping an eye on all our activities. They do their work so smartly that at times we don’t ever realize whether a particular app is malicious or not.

So the next time when you come across such an interesting app, do consider using the tips that have been discussed above and also have reliable Antivirus software installed on your phone.

What is Firewall? Why do we need it?

Protect your PC with a firewall

If your PC is connected to the Internet, you are a potential focus for a variety of digital dangers such as keyloggers, hackers and Trojans. This means that if you like most other people shop and bank online then you are vulnerable to a great amount of identity theft and other malicious attacks.

A firewall works as a hindrance  between your PC and cyber space. When you are connected to the internet you are continuously sending and receiving some sort of data. The firewall filters these small units of information to meet the certain criteria. This restricts hackers from getting inside our PC and steal our confidential & personal data.

Firewalls helps to decide between the authorized and the unauthorized data

There are some firewalls that only monitor incoming traffic by default.  This may give us a false security and will not help you to remain fully protected. This may give a false security. One should keep in mind that outgoing traffic with your credit card information, bank account numbers and passwords is not protected. A good firewall will monitor the outgoing as well as the incoming traffic, keeping all your private information secure. 

Most sophisticated firewalls also include a feature that continuously updates the list of the applications that are good and the ones that are malicious. This way your computer protection is always up to date and the chances for a cyber threat is reduced.

Although a firewall provides protection to keep your PC safe from unauthorized access, it cannot remove malware from an already infected system. Therefore, a firewall should be used in connection with other proactive measures, such as anti-malware software in order to strengthen your resistance to attacks.