Introduction

Attackers disguise their threats to trick people and make it easier for them to execute attacks. These attacks can come in various forms and may not always be obvious, especially to young children. Thus, it is important to teach your child about malware so they do not become victims.

Malware

Malware disrupts a computer’s normal function and refers to programs that infect systems to gain access to data. It can come from various sources, such as email attachments or infected files, but is often disguised as legitimate.

An infected device can give attackers access to your child’s location, data on their devices, and even live feed from their cameras without their knowledge. As a result, attackers could impersonate a trusted figure, find and trick your child into following them home without your knowledge.

As mentioned, these threats come in various forms. If your child plays video games, they may have tried to find free versions of games to download from illegitimate websites. However, these files are often infected and can install malware, giving attackers the ability to spy on your child.

Symptoms of Malware

Your computer slows down
Frequent and unexpected crashes
Unfamiliar applications have been installed
Your friends receive strange messages from you

If you suspect your device is infected, run an anti-malware scan.

Types of Malware

Children may act on their curiosity and click on links without checking, resulting in them accidentally infecting devices with malware. It is important to teach them to be wary of unknown links and to never open unknown files so their devices do not get infected.

Spyware

Sends information about device usage to an attacker, including what is entered on the keyboard
Grants remote access to attackers

Adware

Collects information in order to provide targeted advertisements
Not inherently malicious, but can slow devices or direct devices to sites that contain malware

Trojans

Disguised to look like a legitimate software
Allows attackers to gain access to personal information, then modify, block or delete it

Virus

Replicates itself by modifying other programs
Can corrupt or delete data or spread to other devices

Additional Tips

Use anti-malware software and scan regularly for malware
Avoid clicking unknown or suspicious links, even if they come from trusted sources
Install software from reputable websites
Update devices regularly

Quick Quiz

Think you know it all? Test out your knowledge with this quiz! You can review the questions with explanations at the end.

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