Malware can also be called spyware, malware, or backdoor programs. Malware is often shortened to malware, an acronym for malicious software, a kind of computer software that deliberately causes destruction or harm to its surroundings. Common malware include worms, Trojan horses, bots, and backdoor scripts.

IT Support providers have a unique responsibility for Malware prevention and removal. Malware usually comes from the likes of cloud computing providers, internet browser vendors, email service providers, game developers, system administrators, and mobile application development companies. Most Malware infections are malicious in nature, intending to gain access to and use of private data. Malware can also be used for fraud.

The aim of Malware prevention is to reduce the likelihood of malware intrusion,

especially in organizations that utilize cloud computing, web-based email services, online gaming platforms, or other cloud-based services. Malware may appear as legitimate program files, but is instead a malware program that masquerades as a legitimate program. It infects the host operating system without admin intervention and thus can easily spread through a system of many computers. Malware can be either viral (spread by user activity) or infectious (produced by a physical infection). Cloud-based managed service providers are particularly vulnerable to malware attacks because their servers are publicly accessible over the internet, making Malware the most likely threat to emerge from the most unlikely place.

IT support professionals must consider the entire scope of their organization when managing services using cloud-based applications. Malware must not only be a threat to the host operating system on which the provider’s customers run their applications, but can also be a threat to any external applications hosted on the provider’s infrastructure. If an employee of the IT service provider uses a laptop that accesses the internet via the host computer, then Malware could potentially infect the laptop, compromising the employee as well.

Microsoft is one of the largest users of cloud computing in the enterprise and one of the largest users of Microsoft Dynamics GP. MSN portal offers an online tool called Microsoft Security Essentials (MSSE) to help IT managers to detect and repair Malware threats. MSSE is often included with Microsoft Business Solutions and is available both as a web-based tool or an installed application on the computer. A Web-based version of MSSE is available free of charge.

Managed service provider management includes two different types of Malware evaluation and remediation:

On-demand scanning and in-house scanning. In-house scanning is performed on a daily basis, while on-demand scanning is performed at specified times and in specified environments. In-house scanning involves multiple licenses and multiple devices. It is costlier than the on-demand scanning but is more effective for high-end and enterprise-level Malware.

On-demand scanning is performed by a single operator who employs the services of different types of Malware analysts and Security Compliance Officers (SCO’s). Each of the operators is granted permission to access all the computers and servers of the organization and make decisions based on intelligence gathered from the various tools, malware agents, and systems. The results of the investigations are then shared with the organization’s management. As far as the costs of On-demand scanning are concerned, it depends on the nature of the client as well as the infrastructure deployed by the managed service provider. Most of the providers charge based on the number of computers accessed by each operator, while some of them charge based on the number of license servers and authorized users.

• To prevent Malware intrusion and maintain the security levels of the organization, IT managers must have a complete understanding of the threats and the remedial measures that can be implemented.
• This calls for the engagement of a Malware expert who can perform an in-depth analysis and provide recommendations on the different types of Malware that organizations are facing and the steps that they should take to protect their systems and data from these malicious threats.
• To prevent the occurrence of Malware intrusion and promote the efficient performance of business systems, IT managers must deploy managed cloud infrastructure.
• It offers a cost-effective solution that guarantees the maintenance of suitable levels of security.