Malware
As we have already being interconnected via the Internet, definitely there has been a higher tendency to a malware infection at any time. Most of the time you might not be able to at least know whether your system is a victim of malware infection if you do not have prior knowledge of them. Therefore this post will provide you a few tips to maintain your system as secure as possible. Hope you will grab them and use them in your daily life as well as in your office life if you already work for a company. For a quick garb, we will show you all the tips and tricks in point format.
Objective of the post
- Recognize all most all forms of malware.
- Identify signs of malware infection.
- Understand how to remove malware from your device.
- Reduce the risk of exposing your device to malware
Importance
- Defend against malware infections that threaten organizational security.
- Mitigate personnel vulnerabilities with security awareness.
Content
- Introduction to malware
- Types of malware
- Detecting malware
- Preventing malware
- Removing malware
Introduction to Malware
- Malware means malicious software.
- Executes without your permission.
- Tricks into thinking it is something else.
- Works to remain unnoticed.
- Compromise computer functions.
- Steal data.
- Bypass access controls.
- Harms the host computer.
Tyes of Malware
Common behaviors are stealing data, monitoring user activity, modifying user files. The first line of defense is being aware of their tactics.
Bot
- Bots are software programs created to automatically perform specific operations such as video gaming, internet auctions, online contests.
- Bots can be used in botnets which is a collection of computers to be controlled by a third party for DDoS attacks, as spambots that render advertisements on websites, as web spiders that scrape server data, and for distributing malware disguised as popular search items on download sites.
- Can protect websites with CAPTCHA test.
Virus
- Copying itself and spreading to other machines via infected programs.
- Also spreads via script files, documents, and cross-site scripting vulnerabilities in web apps.
- Steal info, harm host computers, and networks, create botnets, steal money, render advertisements, and more.
Trojan
- A Trojan distinguishes itself as a normal file or program to trick users into downloading and installing malware. It is typically bundled with games.
- It can give a malicious party remote access to an infected computer.
- Once the attacker has access to an infected computer, it is possible for the attacker to steal data (logins, financial data, even electronic money), install more malware, modify files, monitor user activity (screen watching, keylogging, etc) use the computer in botnets, and anonymize internet activity by the attacker.
Ransomware
- Demands ransom while holding a computer system captive.
- Restricts the computer owner by encrypting files on the hard drive or locking down the system and displaying messages that are intended to force the user to pay the malware creator to remove the restrictions and regain access to their computers.
- Ransomware typically spreads like a normal worm ending up on a computer via a downloaded file or through some other vulnerability in a network service.
RAT
- Stands for Remote Access Trojan.
- It has a back door opened for the administrative control of the target computer.
- Attached with games and email attachments
- The intruder may use the victim to distribute RATs to establish a botnet.
- As a RAT enables administrative control, it makes it possible for the intruder to do the following.
- Monitor user behavior via keyloggers
- Access confidential information
- Activate the system’s webcam and start recording.
- Take screenshots
- Distribute viruses and other malware
- Format drives.
- Delete, download, or modify files and file systems.
Worm
- Worms spread over computer networks by exploiting operating system vulnerabilities.
- Worms typically cause harm to their host networks by consuming bandwidth and overloading web servers.
- It is a type of virus and it has the ability to self-replicate and spread independently but viruses rely on human activity to spread.
- Spread by sending mass emails with infected attachments to users’ contacts.
Detecting Malware
Detecting malware is not an easy task. Anti-virus software is rarely 100% accurate at detecting malware because malware is designed to self-update and continually hides its presence whenever they start getting detected.
- The computer is running slower than usual.
- Pop-ups that ask you to download antivirus software or offer freebies.
- Computer has been crashing or freezing lately
- Antivirus software and firewalls have been disabled without your consent
- Emails/messages being sent automatically without the user’s knowledge
Preventing Malware
Prevention is better than cure. As malware is getting harder to detect and new threats are seen on regular basis, you must be extra cautious in reducing the risk of getting malware attacks on your computer. Listed below are a few key recommendations to prevent malware.
- Install anti-virus, perform scheduled virus scanning and keep virus signature up-to-date.
- Keep your operating system current.
- Secure your network.
- Run a virus scan if your computer is running slower than usual.
- Do not click on links, pop-ups, or download files from unsolicited sources.
- Enable firewalls.
Removing Malware
Once your computer is infected with malware, you must remove it as soon as you realize it happens. Listed below are some simple steps in removing malware.
- Back up all files and data on our computer.
- Disconnect your computer from the Internet.
- Remove CDs and DVDs, and unplug USB drives from the computer.
- Scan the computer first in normal mode.
- Scan the computer in safe mode with networking.
- Delete temporary files by using the “Disk Cleanup” utility.
- Run virus scanner.
- Restart the computer normally.
- Confirm the results of the anti-malware scan.
Originally published at https://www.agnasarp.com on June 2, 2021.
