Computer attacks occurs on a daily basis. The most common forms of these attacks are:
- Phishing: a malicious attempt to acquire sensitive information such as usernames, passwords or credit card details by impersonating a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication.
- Malware: short for “malicious software”, is software that, among other things, can cause data loss, be used to collect sensitive information, gain access to private computers or display unwanted advertising.
- Virus: a special kind of malware which spreads like a biological virus by inserting copies of itself into other software or files.
- Tech support Scams: these are scams claiming to be technical support services who offer to clean your computer for a very large fee.
Fortunately by default our computers will block most of these attacks. However some will always manage to get through. Establishing good safety practices can help us protect our computers and our personal information from these attacks. For this we suggest reading the following pages:
- Avoiding computer infections
- Email-based malicious attacks
- Detecting Phishing Attempts
- Tech support scams
If your computer has been infected you can contact the Helpdesk and we can help you clean your computer. You can also find information about what to do here: