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Description: Adware is a type of advertising display software whose primary purpose is to deliver advertising content in a manner or context that may be unexpected and unwanted by users.
Description: A publicised list, usually commercial, of IP addresses known to be sources of spam. which can be used to create a network blacklist to filter out mail originating from these addresses. A blacklist is also a feature of anti-spam software that allows users to designate IP addresses, domain names and individual email addresses from which no mail will be accepted.
Description: A day zero threat is a new threat released in the wild before threat detection signatures are available to protect against it. Fast moving threats such as internet worms can cause huge amounts of damage at day zero.
Description: Where a hacker sends attachments or other unusual or excessive traffic in an attempt to bring down email systems.
Description: Any application whose primary function is to dial a premium rate phone number.
Description: When anti-spam software fails to identify a spam message as spam.
Description: When anti-spam software wrongly identifies a legitimate message as spam.
Description: Someone who intentionally breaches computer security, usually to cause disruption or gain confidential information such as financial details.
Description: A Host Intrusion Prevention System (HIPS) guards against unknown threats. Sophos's HIPS technology uses our anti-virus engine to stop unknown threats by analysing behaviour before code executes.
Description: A program that records users keystrokes with the intention of capturing sensitive information such as credit card details.
Description: Malware is a general term for a range of malicious software including viruses, worms, Trojan horses and spyware.
Description: (Pronounced 'fishing'.) This involves creating a replica of a legitimate web page to hook users and trick them into submitting personal or financial information or passwords.
Description: PUA is a term used to describe an application that is not inherently malicious, but is generally considered unsuitable for the majority of business networks. Potentially unwanted applications include adware, dialers, remote administration tools and hacking tools.
Description: A rootkit is a set of software tools designed to be invisible and placed on a computer by a third party. It is used to conceal running processes, files or system data.
Description: Conning email recipients into opening messages, revealing passwords or providing other confidential information by appealing to their curiosity, gullibility or computing naivety.
Description: All unsolicited commercial email and unsolicited bulk email that a recipient does not want to receive.
Description: Spyware is a term used to describe a broad set of applications that send information from a computer to a third party without the user's permission or knowledge. Spyware Trojans and spyware worms are Trojans and Win32 worms that also exhibit behaviour attributed to spyware.
Description: A seemingly legitimate computer program that has been intentionally designed to disrupt and damage computer activity. Trojans are sometimes used in conjunction with viruses. A backdoor Trojan is a program that allows other computer users to gain access to your computer across the internet.
Description: A computer program that copies itself. Often viruses will disrupt computer systems or damage the data contained upon them. A virus requires a host program and will not infect a computer until it has been run. Some viruses spread across networks by making copies of themselves or may forward themselves via email. The term 'virus' is often used generically to refer to both viruses and worms.
Description: A warning about a non-existent virus. Usually urge users to forward them to everyone they know.
Description: A type of virus that does not need a host program. It has the ability to self-replicate and often will use email and the internet to spread.
Description: An insecure web server or computer that is hijacked and used in a DoS attack or to send spam.