infected lots of computers to steal sensitive data.

How to prevent Remote Access Trojans (RAT)?

We can take a couple of steps to prevent these Remote Access Trojans.

• Do not click on suspicious links.
• Do not open attachments to emails sent by unknown users.
• Use your common sense while using social networking sites.
• Download and install software from trusted sources only.
• Use anti-malware programs from trusted sources and update them regularly.
• Configure a firewall on your computer properly. It is always a good idea to restrict unnecessary programs from using the Internet. Also, allow hosts in the local network to talk to each other only when necessary. If malware infects a computer, it should not spread to other systems in the network so easily.
• Keep your browser and other commonly used software updated with recent patches. In most cases, malware infects a computer by exploiting security vulnerabilities in the commonly used software. Recent patches reduce the number of known vulnerabilities in software.
• Keep your operating system updated with recent patches for the same reason as mentioned above.
• If possible, use a Virtual Machine to access the Internet. Anytime a user thinks a VM has been infected by malware, the user can revert the Virtual Machine to a previously taken uninfected snapshot.

I hope this helps. Interested readers who want to know more about how different malware and cyberattacks work and how we can prevent them may want to refer to the book “A Guide To Cyber Security.”

Security Fundamentals Practice Tests

The Security Fundamentals Practice Tests test one’s fundamental knowledge of cyber security. The practice tests are good for those preparing for various certification exams like the CCNA, CCNP, or CompTIA. They are also good for students and IT/security professionals who want to improve their understanding of cybersecurity.