Whois & Analysis for pctools.com

Ransomware is computer malware that installs covertly on a victim's device (e.g., computer, smartphone, wearable device) and that either mounts the cryptoviral extortion attack from cryptovirology that holds the victim's data hostage, or mounts a cryptovirology leakware attack that threatens to publish the victim's data, until a ransom is paid.

Simple ransomware may lock the system in a way which is not difficult for a knowledgeable person to reverse, and display a message requesting payment to unlock it.

More advanced malware encrypts the victim's files, making them inaccessible, and demands a ransom payment to decrypt them.

The ransomware may also encrypt the computer's Master File Table (MFT) or the entire hard drive.

Thus, ransomware is a denial-of-access attack that prevents computer users from accessing files since it is intractable to decrypt the files without the decryption key.

Ransomware attacks are typically carried out using a Trojan that has a payload disguised as a legitimate file.

Antivirus or anti-virus software (often abbreviated as AV), sometimes known as anti-malware software, is computer software used to prevent, detect and remove malicious software.

A computer virus is a type of malicious software program ("malware") that, when executed, replicates by reproducing itself (copying its own source code) or infecting other computer programs by modifying them.

Infecting computer programs can include as well, data files, or the "boot" sector of the hard drive.

When this replication succeeds, the affected areas are then said to be "infected" with a computer virus.

The term "virus" is also commonly, but erroneously, used to refer to other types of malware.

"Malware" encompasses computer viruses along with many other forms of malicious software, such as computer "worms", ransomware, trojan horses, keyloggers, rootkits, spyware, adware, malicious Browser Helper Object (BHOs) and other malicious software.

The majority of active malware threats are actually trojan horse programs or computer worms rather than computer viruses.

The term computer virus, coined by Fred Cohen in 1985, is a misnomer.

Viruses often perform some type of harmful activity on infected host computers, such as acquisition of hard disk space or central processing unit (CPU) time, accessing private information (e.g., credit card numbers), corrupting data, displaying political or humorous messages on the user's screen, spamming their e-mail contacts, logging their keystrokes, or even rendering the computer useless.

However, not all viruses carry a destructive "payload" and attempt to hide themselves—the defining characteristic of viruses is that they are self-replicating computer programs which install themselves without user consent.

A mobile device (or handheld computer) is a small computing device, typically, small enough to hold and operate in the hand and having an operating system capable of running mobile apps.

These may provide a diverse range of functions.

Typically, the device will have a display screen with a small numeric or alphanumeric keyboard or a touchscreen providing a virtual keyboard and buttons (icons) on-screen.

Many such devices can connect to the Internet and interconnect with other devices such as car entertainment systems or headsets via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or near field communication (NFC).

Integrated cameras, digital media players, mobile phone and GPS capabilities are common.

Power is typically provided by a lithium battery.

Computer security software or cybersecurity software is any computer program designed to enhance information security.