Articles Index
How Spybot Got Its Name
Controversy - real or manufactured - surrounds the name 'spybot'. Here's the history of the term from 1990 to present day use.
EICAR Test File
EICAR is not a virus. EICAR is a special file used to test antivirus software. Here's how to make an EICAR file to test your virus protection.
Man in the Middle and Redirection Attacks
Man-in-the-middle attacks intercept communications between two points. During the interception, the MITM may record or even modify the communications between the two points.
Debunking Antivirus Conspiracy Theories
It's almost as certain as death and taxes - the 'it' being the constant recycling of the age old conspiracy theory surrounding antivirus vendors.
2006: Year of Targeted Attacks
A look back at the emerging malware threats of 2006
What is a Virus Signature?
In the antivirus world, a signature is an algorithm or hash (a number derived from a string of text) that uniquely identifies a specific virus.
What is a Keylogger Trojan?
In its simplest form, a keylogger trojan is malicious, surreptitious software that monitors your keystrokes, logging them to a file and sending them off to remote attackers. Some keyloggers are sold as commercial software - the type a parent might use to record their children's online activities or a suspicious spouse might install to keep tabs on their partner.
What is Behavior Blocking?
In its simplest form, behavior blocking monitors file activities, preventing certain modifications to the operating system or related files.
Haunting Thought: Is Your PC a Zombie?
In the computer world, a Trojan can be used to turn your PC into their own computing matter - effectively turning it into a zombie machine.
What's in a (Virus) Name?
What do the virus names Shockwave, Pro Linux, W32/Prolin@mm, Troj_Shockwave, and Creative have in common? Shockwave, Pro Linux, W32/Prolin@mm, Troj_Shockwave, and Creative are all names of the same virus.
Free online security courses
Whether you need help understanding Windows or want to know what the difference is between a virus and a Trojan - and why it matters - these free online courses can help.
What is a DDoS attack?
Trojans are often used to launch Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks against targeted systems, but just what is a DDoS attack and how are they performed?
Understanding virus names
Antivirus vendors generally assign virus names consisting of a When attempting to find information about a particular virus, it can be helpful to understand how the virus names are formed.