Research and Analyze Various Aspects Of Anti-Virus Systems (Research Paper Sample)

Anti-Virus Systems
Student’s Name
Institution Affiliation

Introduction
In contrast to mass computer virus attacks, which aim at infecting numerous viruses, targeted attacks are observed to adopt a different approach. Targeted attacks aim at infecting the network systems in given organizations and companies to accomplish a certain agenda. In addition, attackers can employ single Trojan agents to one server in the organization’s network infrastructure. Cybercriminals are observed to target information and processes that can be exploited to facilitate theft and exploitation of any vulnerability present in the system (Engdahl, 2010). Typical targets include banks, where criminals attack the bank’s servers and networks for access of private information and illegal transfer of funds. Also, attackers can also target billing companies to access client information and customer accounts, including customer databases, technical data, and financial information. This paper explores the mechanisms that organizations can use to protect themselves and the causes of the emergence of problems associated with network attacks.
Causes of Computer Virus Attacks
Cybercriminals employ social engineering and acquire detailed knowledge of the security vulnerabilities present in the host. Numerous viruses are observed to target Microsoft Windows through employing a variety of mechanisms to exploit the computing resources and infect new hosts (Stallings, Brown, Bauer & Howard, 2008). In addition, viruses are observed to employ complicated anti-detection stealth approaches to evade any antivirus software that may be present in the system. The principal goal of developing computer viruses is seeking profit, personal amusement, political conflict, and sabotage through denial of service.
Large companies are observed to be the primary subjects of targeted computer virus attacks. Despite the presence of high levels of IT security, the cybercriminals seek cunning methods to exploit the slightest mishap in the network systems. Many organizations benefit from the presence of firewalls and different protective measures that prevent virus attacks, however, it is imperative to note that internal sabotage has been acknowledged as a primary cause of vulnerability to the system (Stallings, Brown, Bauer & Howard, 2008). Phishing is one of the principal causes of computer virus attacks to the network systems. Employees may willingly or unwittingly respond to phishing emails through responding to phishing emails that seek to acquire internal information on the organization. For instance, attackers may pretend to be members of the organization seeking personal information that may assist the cybercriminal in gaining access to the system.
Cybercriminals are also observed to use fake identities to facilitate the acquisition of personal information from clients and employees (Akanbi, Amiri & Fazeldehkordi, 2014). For instance, information from social networking websites is a major provider of personal information for cybercriminals. Therefore, the cybercriminals can assume the identity of the employees or clients thus phishing for names and passwords through genuine messages that look like they are from the employee’s colleague or company.
Measures to countering the threat of Computer Viruses
In response to the development of viruses, there is intensive development of open-source and free antivirus tools. In addition, the computer virus attacks have been marked by the advancement of the antivirus industry that is responsible for the development of antivirus programs and updating the existing program upon detection of a different threat (Stallings, Brown, Bauer & Howard, 2008). Computer security researchers are constantly seeking new mechanisms of developing antivirus solutions and allowing the effective detection of viruses prior to their spread to different computer systems. In addition to installing antivirus systems, organizations should ensure that they have appropriate data storage and recovery mechanisms to prevent loss of data upon attacks. Operating systems can also be installed upon attacks.
Protection from Computer Virus Attacks
Employees should be educated on the vulnerabilities brought about by responding to phishing emails. The IT departments should have personnel dedicated to addressing any possible attacks and suspected phishing emails. Moreover, any official communication should ensure that the employees are informed using official and constant channels to avoid any confusion that may be brought abo...