is a term used to describe actions taken by someone to gain unauthorized access to a computer.

The availability of information online on the tools, techniques, and malware makes it easier for even non-technical people to undertake malicious activities.

The process by which cyber criminals gain access to your computer.

Find weaknesses or pre-existing bugs in your security settings and exploit them in order to access your information.

___providing a back door for hackers to enter and search for your information.

Install a Trojan horse, providing a back door for hackers to enter and search for your information.

is one of the more common ways to infiltrate or damage your computer.

infects your computer, such as computer viruses, worms, Trojan horses, spyware, and adware.

Intimidate you with scareware, which is usually a pop-up message that tells you your computer has a security problem or other false information.

Reformat the hard drive of your computer causing you to lose all your information.

Alter or delete files.

Steal sensitive information.

Send emails on your behalf.

Take control of your computer and all the software running on it.

is a common type of online fraud.

A means to point you to a malicious and illegitimate website by redirecting the legitimate URL. Even if the URL is entered correctly, it can still be redirected to a fake website.

actual site down to the smallest details. You may enter your personal information and unknowingly give it to someone with malicious intent.

is used most often by cyber criminals because it's easy to execute and can produce the results they're looking for with very little effort.

Fake emails, text messages and websites created to look like they're from authentic companies.

They're sent by criminals to steal personal and financial information from you.

This is also known as "spoofing".

Trick you into giving them information by asking you to update, validate or confirm your account.

It is often presented in a manner than seems official and intimidating, to encourage you to take action.

Provides cyber criminals with your username and passwords so that they can access your accounts your online bank account, shopping accounts and steal your credit card numbers.

Is a type of malware that restricts access to your computer or your files and displays a message that demands payment in order for the restriction to be removed.

The two most common means of infection appear to be phishing emails that contain malicious attachments and website pop-up advertisements.

common types of ransomware:

displays an image that prevents you from accessing your computer

encrypts files on your system's hard drive and sometimes on shared network drives, USB drives, external hard drives, and even some cloud storage drives, preventing you from opening them

will display a notification stating that your computer or data have been locked and demanding a payment be made for you to regain access.

the notification states that authorities have detected illegal activity on your computer, and that the payment is a fine to avoid prosecution.

is one of the more common methods of both sending information out and collecting it from unsuspecting people.

The mass distribution of unsolicited messages, advertising or pornography to addresses which can be easily found on the Internet through things like social networking sites, company websites and personal blogs.

Annoy you with unwanted junk mail.

Create a burden for communications service providers and businesses to filter electronic messages.

Phish for your information by tricking you into following links or entering details with too-good-to-be-true offers and promotions.

Provide a vehicle for malware, scams, fraud and threats to your privacy.

often used by third parties to infiltrate your computer.

Software that collects personal information about you without you knowing.

They often come in the form of a 'free' download and are installed automatically with or without your consent.

These are difficult to remove and can infect your computer

Collect information about you without you knowing about it and give it to third parties.

Send your usernames, passwords, surfing habits, list of applications you've downloaded,

Change the way your computer runs without your knowledge.

Take you to unwanted sites or inundate you with uncontrollable pop-up ads.

A malicious program that is disguised as, or embedded within, legitimate software.

It is an executable file that will install itself and run automatically once it's downloaded.

Delete your files.

Use your computer to hack other computers.

Watch you through your web cam.

Log your key strokes such as a credit card number you entered in an online purchase.

Record usernames, passwords and other personal information.

Malicious computer programs that are often sent as an email attachment or a download with the intent of infecting your computer, as well as the computers of everyone in your contact list.

Send spam.

Provide criminals with access to your computer and contact lists.

Scan and find personal information like passwords on your computer.

Hijack your web browser.

Disable your security settings.

Display unwanted ads.

When a program is running, it could infiltrate your hard drive and also spread to USB keys and external hard drives.

Any attachment you create using this program and send to someone else could also infect them

is another method used by cyber criminals to capture personal information.

Virtual "listening in" on information that's shared over an unsecure (not encrypted) WiFi network.

Potentially access your computer with the right equipment.

Steal your personal information including logins and passwords.

are a common threat to computers and the Internet as a whole.

goes to work on its own without attaching itself to files or programs.

It lives in your computer memory, doesn't damage or alter the hard drive and propagates by sending itself to other computers in a network

Spread to everyone in your contact list.

Cause a tremendous amount of damage by shutting down parts of the Internet, wreaking havoc on an internal network and costing companies enormous amounts of lost revenue.