Hacking viruses are malicious computer programs that can steal personal data and control a system remotely. They are transmitted through peer-to-peer networks, emails and websites that offer the ability to download content. It’s possible to avoid the threat of a hacking virus by keeping software systems up-to-date and avoiding downloading from faulty sources and avoiding unsecure networks.
Hacking viruses are employed by cybercriminals for a variety of reasons. They might seek to infect computers with keystroke loggers which record every word a device user typed, providing the perpetrator everything they need to obtain their identity and gain access to bank accounts, credit card information and other valuable data. They could also use a compromised system as part of a larger network known as a botnet which could be used to send spam emails or launch attacks on other devices.
A virus may also be written to alter the functions of a device, by changing its homepage or redirecting search queries to an unwelcome web page or replacing the results returned by popular search engines. This type of hacking can be referred to as backdoor.
Hackers who were fascinated by finding low-tech methods to evade secure telecommunications and expensive long distance calls were historically called Phreaks. Phreak is a combination of the words phone and freak. The majority of people who succumb to hacking viruses today have nothing to do with telecommunications, nor in tinkering with technology. They are the unfortunate victims of hackers who exploit vulnerabilities in security systems built into them to steal sensitive personal information that can disrupt their own and other users’ computer use and inflict monetary damage on the people they take advantage of.
