Online Safety,

Security, Ethics, and

Etiquette: Internet
Threats
P RE T EST
 LESSON

The threats in the Internet is real.

After all, it become a public place
especially billions of people have
an access and knowledge about
Internet. One of the threats that
you must avoid is the malware.

MALWARE- came from the

blended words “malicious” and
“software”. Internet users usually
acquired this threat through
online.
 5 TYPES OF MALWARE

1.Virus – It is malicious program that usually transfer

from one device to another with the aid of the Internet and
local networks, but commonly through data storage such
•as flash drives or hard drive.

2. Worm – Unlike the virus, this malware replicates itself

and can transfer by any type of means, but more often
through computer network. Remember the ILOVEYOU
worm, known as Love Bug, that infected 45 million
machines across the globe, including the Pentagon, within
24 hours last May 4, 2000? (Computer Weekly, 2020.)
When the victim opens the attachment, an e-mail entitled
LOVE-LETTER-FOR-YOU, the malware automatically send
itself to all
•the victim’s Microsoft Outlook contacts.
3.Trojan – Tracing its name origin, it can be link to the
mythology story about how Trojan fell because of Greeks’
wooden horse (Hamilton 1942, 206). Like the Odysseus’
strategy, this malicious program disguised as a useful program,
however left your devices unprotected and became vulnerable to
other malwares once you accessed or downloaded it.

4.Spyware – a malicious program that monitors the device,

and the actions of the user without its knowledge. Another
example, the keylogger steals sensitive information using the
recorded user’s keystrokes.

5.Adware – this program automatically sends pop-ups

advertisements.
6.Spam or unwanted emails contains bots and
advertisements, however cyber criminals can use this to
transfer malwares; or worst, do cybercrimes like phishing.
PHISHING- criminal steals
sensitive personal information
like account passwords and
banking details by sending out
an alarming e-mail as a bait.
Usually, they ask you to click a
link, or input your username,
password, or any personal info.

Phishing is an example of
cybercrime, an illegal act
done using Internet, :
 7 CYBERCRIMES

1. Hacking – it is unauthorized accessing of data

from a computer network. Mostly, hackers attack
commercial and government sites to cause an alarm or
to threat someone.

2. Sport Betting – it is an illegal act of gambling

on any sports event that happened over the Internet.
3. Non-Delivery of Merchandise –
a deceiving act which the culprit posted a product or
service on the Internet. Once the victim placed its
payment, the culprit does not give the item or service.

4. Electronic Harassment – an anonymous

criminal who harass, abuse, threat, or annoy other
people. One example of this is cyberbullying
5.Child Pornography – Based on Republic Act no
9775 or known as Anti- Child Pornography Act of
2009, it is an act of real or simulated explicit sexual
activities that involves any child aged 18 and below
and it is penalized depending on the offender. If it is
the parent or relative of the child, they’ll receive the
maximum penalty.

6.Prostitution – it is an illegal act engage in any

sexual activities.

7.Criminal Copyright Infringement – it is an

unauthorized use or stealing of intellectual property,
such as movies and music, for profitable benefit.
Sometimes, students violate it through plagiarism.

Whether in the reality, or in the digital world,

persons with bad intentions are everywhere, and
they are just waiting for an opening to do it. As a
responsible digital citizen (commonly called netizen
(Internet citizen), we must be aware about these
Internet threats, how to avoid it, and practice our
digital citizenship.