You have a firewall up and running and an anti-virus and anti-spyware software installed and constantly enabled but somehow your system still keeps getting infected. This can be frustrating but you have to realize that no security system is 100% secure. When it comes to computer security there are always two fronts - the software and the user. The hacker can attack both.
1. Reverse Engineering
As anti-virus and anti-spyware applications continually advance, so do new viruses and other malicious software keep cropping up. Hackers use reverse engineering to analyze how security software works and thus come up with new ways to circumvent it. They would take an anti-virus' program apart and discover how it detects viruses and cleans a system. They would then design a new virus that could get past the software's mechanisms. This is the reason why installing security software is not enough. The user must also be conscientious in updating it consistently. Security software developers are also running the race against hackers by making new patches to boost the original programming. And this doesn't only apply to the specific program that deals with malware. The operating system and browser also have built-in security functions that need updating.
2. Social Engineering
Hackers can spend a lot of time and effort trying to break into your system but they can probably take an easier approach by directly tricking the user into accidentally or unwittingly opening the door for them. There are various social engineering techniques that hackers use to manipulate users into giving out sensitive information. The common ones are well-written fraudulent emails, cleverly disguised websites, free offers, and bogus surveys. The basic principle in using social engineering as an aid to hacking is to deceive the target into thinking that the interaction or transaction is legitimate. The most frequent victims to this approach are regular home users. Among the many computers on the Internet, theirs are the ones least protected and they are the ones least conscious about security. Just as hackers take advantage of the weak points in security software's programming, they also take advantage of our human traits such as greed, fear or curiosity.
3. Inadequate Response
Some malware are quite difficult to detect and once compromised, a computer's operating system can be manipulated in such a way that the security software supposedly protecting it is also fooled. In extreme cases, there may no longer be any other alternative than to reformat the hard disk. Malware have the ability to replicate and hide itself. Sometimes the only way to be sure is to erase everything. Reinstalling the operating system over the original installation may not be enough. For the first few days you might not see any symptoms and you might erroneously conclude that the security procedure you applied may have worked. But it's highly likely that the malware could manifest itself again.
It's not enough to simply purchase and rely on the most expensive or sophisticated security software available. Regular home users must also be security conscious. Our browsing habits, the people we meet in online social networks, the other people in our households who also use the computer, our computer maintenance practices; these also need to be taken into account and assessed in the context of security.
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