Spam Prevention Certification | Simpliv

Viruses and spam what you need to know

Whether you’re a network administrator, use a computer at work, or just read email, this course is for you. We tell you the facts about computer viruses and spam in simple, easy-to understand language

It’s estimated that 80% of all email sent in the entire world is spam. Only 2 in 10 emails are legitimate. That’s a LOT of spam.

And spam isn’t new - it’s been around since email was invented in the 1980’s. While this  old enemy may seem easily avoidable for some, it     remains the no.1 cause of viruses entering    and infect staff computers or even entire networks.

This course will explain what to look out for, provide some tips on spotting fake emails – even those that look very real – and how you can reduce your exposure to spam     longer term

What can viruses do?

Viruses used to play pranks or stop your computer working, but now they compromise security in more insidious ways. Here are the things that viruses can do.

• Slow down email. Viruses that spread by email, such as Sobig, can generate so much email traffic that servers slow down or crash. Even if this doesn't happen, companies may react to the risk by shutting down servers anyway.
• Steal confidential data. The Bugbear-D worm records the user's keystrokes, including passwords, and gives the virus writer access to them.
• Use your computer to attack websites. MyDoom used infected computers to flood the SCO software company's website with data, making the site unusable (a denial of service attack).
• Let other users hijack your computer. Some viruses place “backdoor Trojans” on the computer, allowing the virus writer to connect to your computer and use it for their own purposes.

By the end of this course you will be able to defend yourself against spam and other phishing attacks