Adware, Spyware, Firewall, Antivirus, System Monitor, Privacy, Parental Control Software – A Glossary

Adware
A form of advertising that is being integrated in most of the free software’s. They are usually commercial banner ads or popup advertisements, which slows down the system process. Adware gets installed without the user’s knowledge, when the user downloads certain free software for his own purpose.

Adware Remover
Adware Remover or Ad-ware removal tools are kind of internet security tools which prevents and protects a user from adware’s getting installed without his/her knowledge, while downloading free software’s over the internet. An Adware removal tool is also known as Adware Blockers.

Spyware
Spyware is a form of software that gathers the computer activity and information secretly and transits to third parties when a user surfs the Internet. Spyware gets downloaded and installed automatically without the user’s knowledge.

Anti-Spyware
Anti Spyware or Spyware Removers is software that is developed to detect and remove spying software being installed in a computer. Notably most of the spyware removal tools are developed in a way that it not only eliminates spy bots but also malwares, key loggers, root kits, browser hijackers, worms, Trojan horses, and other potential computer viruses.

Malware
Malware is termed as Malicious Software. Any software that is designed to disrupt a network, in the form of viruses, worms, Trojans, or any other illegal programs is termed as Malware.

Key Loggers
Keyloggers are programs that are being installed invisibly in a user’s computer without his /her knowledge to record the entire keyboard / keystroke activity, and pass it on to third parties, online thieves such as phisher or hackers.

Root Kits
Rootkits are small programs designed to steal passwords, and other confidential information from a computer, without the users’ knowledge. These Rootkits captures the user’s personal and confidential information and transfers it to hackers.

Firewall
Firewall is also known as hacker intrusion prevention system or access control software. A firewall monitors the system traffic and alerts the user when there is some suspicious network that tries to gain access to the computer. There are two types of firewall – Hardware Firewall & Software Firewall.

Anti-Virus
Antivirus is a software program, which scans, detects, and prevents a computer from potential virus attacks. Nowadays most of the Antivirus software comes not only with Virus protection tools, but also with adware protection and spyware prevention tools.

System Monitor
System monitor are application that are being installed in a computer, to monitor the entire performance and activity of a computer, and alerts the user when any miscellaneous application is trying to change the computer’s security settings.

Privacy Control
Privacy control provides security for the users by providing him/her a security space to store all his personal / confidential details such as passwords, social security numbers and so on, which can be accessed only by the specified user.

Parental Control
Parental Control is a feature mostly used by parents, to block certain illegal, porn, gambling and other insecure websites, while their children surf over the internet. Nowadays privacy control and parental control features comes along with any internet security suite software’s.

Parental Control, Privacy Control Software – Is that really necessary?

The answer for parental control is YES! Nowadays most of children in the age of 3 itself start using the computers, for game or fun. Recently I visited one of my friends house, and was surprised to see that his 6 year old son, came from the school, and asked “Dad, Is the computer ready?” and my friend replied “Yes”. And his son threw the bag, went had his biscuits and sat in front of the computer, switched on, and asked “Where are the games?” As my friend replied, as the computer crashed, all those gaming software being installed were lost. The little boy without hesitating, said ok, and just opened the IE (Internet Explorer) browser, typed http://www.google.com/ in the address bar, and was searching, free games. Within a fraction of minutes, he just went into a website and downloaded the software, installed and started playing the games. Here is how the problem starts, the kid he knew only to download the software, whereas he is not aware of the prevailing internet security threats or any other thing. So the parents should set an access control to the websites they enter. So the access control software we term as Parental Control.

Parental control or privacy control is an essential feature because, the parents can set some rules stating that the children can access only specified sites and block access to pornography etc. Most of t he children they come to the gaming sites to play some online games, the thing is suddenly a window pops up with porn picture or so, and even asking to download a new game, which may consist of some viruses or Trojans in it. So the children unknowing as an entertainment download them with an interest to play a new game. So parents need to concerned about their child’s online security, have some restrictions. Also it’s a responsibility of a parent to have an internet security suite which has privacy / parental control feature in it, and also the suite will have virus removal tool, with firewall – to stop unauthorized traffic entering your network.

There are a few internet security software companies like K7computing, providing advanced level of parental control in its Total Security – internet security suite. K7 Total Internet Security Suite has a privacy / parental control with features, where you can allow and block websites and also allows the user to set a timer, from when to when the internet can be accessed. This is very useful for parents, who have children spending time in the online internet games for long hours. The parents can set the time to grant / restrict access to the internet to their children between two specified time. Say for example, Grant internet access between 1 PM to 3 PM only, so after 3 PM, the internet will get disconnected. This is an advanced feature in K7 Total Security.
Also it is good to advise the children not to download anything without their (parents) knowledge so the computer won’t be affected by any miscellaneous operations. Also I wish you read an general instruction about mobile security ,which we need to be aware of being a mobile phone user.