Past First Lady Hilliary Clinton Becomes An Intention of Malware Scheme

Surprisingly, even the Former First Lady could not steer clear of a malware scam. �Round the clock security, a professional IT staff, the latest technology and software security were not enough to protect Senator Hillary Clinton�s campaign from this malicious intruder. Beginning in February, 2008, supporters and constituents of the Senator from New York began receiving emails entitled �Hillary Clinton Full Video�. The emails contained no video footage of Mrs. Clinton; it contained malware instead.

Malware is a combination of two words --- malicious and software. And, in this case, the name says it all. Malware is computer software or a computer code that is installed onto the computers of unknowing and unsuspecting computer users. Some people refer to malware as a computer virus; that is not accurate, actually. While malware can contain computer viruses, it may also contain other intrusive components like adware, spyware and spam.

Most people don�t even know what the term �malware� means, so how can they be expected to adequately protect their computer and files from it? Malware is a type of computer program or computer code which is developed solely to produce annoying pop-up ads, innumerable amounts of spam and disseminate adware and spyware. What�s more, it can be dangerous to the entire operating system.

Perhaps it is easiest to understand how malware operates by following the process in the Hillary Clinton email. Millions of in-boxes received the email and many people opened it � they had no reason to suspect it was malware. That�s the really dangerous thing about malware; it operates totally �undercover� and without your consent.

Here is how Malware works: Recipients of Clinton�s email open it and then are directed to click on a link. The link looks like a Google search page; it isn�t. Instead, it is the Malware scam installing itself onto the recipient�s computer operating system. �This link downloads a suspect file, �mpg.exe�, which is a Trojan downloader� reports K. Conley, Symantec researcher. �This downloader downloads a file, inst241.exe, which is detected as Trojan.Srizbi.�

Now in place, the malware scam is in full-swing. The computer owner will be inundated with massive amounts of unwanted spam, including pop-up ads by the dozen. At the very least, this bombardment will be irritating. At worst, the computer may be slowed down, shut-off or severely damaged.

Both Norton Internet Security and Spyware Doctors are popular, prevent malware and well worth the investment. Another way you can protect your computer and files is to exercise caution when opening and reading email. The best advice we can offer is to open ONLY email that you know to be safe � those emails that come from known sources.

At RemoveSpywareandAdware.com, we are honored to have Isaiah Henry as researcher on how to antispyware. Read daily info on malicious programs at the Spyware Blog.

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