What is Malware?
Any program or file that purposefully hurts a computer, network, or server is known as malware, or malicious software.
Computer viruses, worms, Trojan horses, ransomware, and spyware are examples of malware. These harmful applications steal, encrypt, and erase private information. They also change or hijack fundamental computer operations and track end users’ online behavior.
One employee making a mistaken click is all it takes for the malware to install itself and start running its software.
What are Types of Malware?
- Virus Malware
In addition to carrying out its own harmful deeds, a virus can propagate to other systems and infect other programs. When a file is launched, a virus that is connected to it is activated. Your data and files will then be moved, deleted, corrupted, or encrypted by the virus.
An enterprise-level antivirus solution can assist you in protecting all of your devices from infections while preserving central control and visibility from a single location. Run thorough scans periodically, and make sure your antivirus definitions are current.
- Ransomware Malware
Software known as ransomware encrypts a victim’s data and prevents access to it until the ransom is paid. In some circumstances, ransomware not only encrypts the data but also transfers it to the attackers, enabling them to blackmail the company. There is no guarantee that the attackers will deliver the necessary decryption key or that the data will be correctly restored, even if the company decides to pay the ransom.
- Fileless Malware
Fileless malware doesn’t directly affect files or the file system, unlike classical malware, which infects machines through executable files. This kind of malware instead makes advantage of non-file objects like PowerShell, WMI, Microsoft Office macros, and other system features. 40% of malware worldwide, according to current studies, is fileless.
- Spyware Malware
Without the user’s knowledge, spyware gathers information about their activity. Passwords, payment information, messages, and documents may all fall under this category. Spyware used to be common on desktop computers, but it now also affects mobile devices. Because an attacker can deploy spyware on a mobile device to track a victim’s activity and physical movements, it is considerably more risky.
- Bot Malware
A bot is a piece of software that executes a task automatically and without user input. Attacks can be carried out by bots far more quickly than by humans. A computer that has been infected by a bot can propagate the infection to other computers, forming a botnet. The control of this network of compromised workstations can then be utilized to execute large-scale attacks, such DDoS attacks or brute force attacks, frequently without the device owner being aware of their involvement. On appropriate hardware, bots are also employed for cryptocurrency mining. Using technologies to identify whether traffic is originating from a real user or a bot is one technique to manage bots.
- Adware Malware
Adware, also known as “spam,” distributes unwanted or harmful advertising. Although generally safe, adware can be inconvenient because it might slow down your computer. Additionally, these advertisements might unintentionally encourage users to download more dangerous software. Keep your operating system, web browser, and email clients updated to prevent known adware attacks from downloading and installing. This will help you protect against adware.
- Trojan Malware
Trojan horses are harmful programs that users intentionally install and mistake for legitimate programs. Trojan horses use social engineering strategies to get onto a victim’s computer. Once installed, a Trojan horse releases its payload—malware created to make it easier to exploit the target device. Trojan horses let hackers gain backdoor access to targets while running keyloggers, worms or viruses are installed, and data is stolen.
- Rootkit Malware
Although rootkits were not intended to be malware, hackers now frequently use them as an attack method. With the aid of a rootkit, a person can continue to have privileged access to a system without being noticed. Rootkits essentially grant a user access at the administrative level while hiding that access. Organizations must implement a zero trust strategy and revoke privileged access to prevent rootkits from causing harm. Any use of the zero trust strategy must be validated. Multi-factor authentication should also be used by organizations to restrict access using just one credential.
- Worms Malware
Malware called worms is made to propagate quickly throughout networks. Operating system flaws, other software vulnerabilities, software-embedded backdoors, and corrupted flash drives are just a few of the ways they can infect devices. Once the worm has been introduced, an evildoer can conduct a DDoS assault, steal confidential information, or conduct a ransomware campaign.
What are the Malware Delivery Methods
Here are some typical methods for getting malware onto victim devices:
- Malicious code contained in email attachments can be accessed and executed by an unwary user. On a device linked to the company network, malware can propagate if the user downloads an attachment or clicks a dangerous link.
- Network File System (NFS) and SMB/CIFS-based file servers may have security flaws that make it easy for malware to proliferate. Although previous flaws in these protocols have been patched, legacy systems may still employ outdated versions.
- Malware can be downloaded to a user’s device or to removable media using cloud-based file sharing applications.
- Peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing can spread malware by disseminating what appear to be benign files like music and pictures.
- With minimal to no human involvement, a hacker might access a system via a remotely exploitable flaw. The Log4j vulnerability, which recently affected millions of computer systems and billions of consumers worldwide, is one recent example.
What are the Malware Attack Prevention Best Practices?
Constant User Education
In most organizations’ cybersecurity strategies, users are a weak point. It is crucial to regularly inform people about the best ways to avoid malware, such as:
- Avoiding installing and running untested software.
- Staying away from clicking on links in dubious communications and knowing how to spot a phishing message.
- Never utilizing a computer with removable media.
- Ensuring that all computers, especially personal computers, have reliable, current malware protection that routinely checks the device.
Ensure the Security of Your Network
Controlling access to systems on the network of your company is a crucial malware defense strategy. The attack surface of the organization can be reduced by implementing tried-and-true security technologies like firewalls, IPS/IDS, web application firewalls (WAF), and VPN-only remote access.
Regularly Scan for Vulnerabilities
It’s crucial to routinely check networks, web applications, and other crucial systems for flaws, configuration errors, and malware infections. Vulnerability scans in today’s IT environment can produce hundreds of results, and it is impossible to fix every one of them. Organizations should take care to prioritize vulnerabilities nevertheless, and focus their efforts on fixing the most critical ones.
Perform Routine Penetration Tests and Security Audits
Internal teams and outside auditors may be required to conduct security audits for your firm if compliance requirements or legislation apply to it. Even if this is not the case, perform your own security audits to find any holes that could allow malware to infiltrate a computer.
Regularly Create Verified Backups
Your business may recover from many different types of disasters, including malware and ransomware assaults, by performing regular backups that are stored in a safe area that cannot be accessed or infected by malware.
Implement Endpoint Security Solutions
Endpoint security is a technique for defending against malicious attacks and activities on endpoint devices, such as PCs, laptops, and mobile devices.
Technologies like next-generation antivirus (NGAV) and legacy antivirus (legacy AV), which concentrate on recognizing and preventing or isolating threats, are included in endpoint protection. Additional endpoint security features include:
- Defense against exploits
- Threats from email protection
- Nefarious download security
- Application management (preventing unsafe applications from running)
- Data Loss Avoidance (DLP)
Leverage XDR
Use Extended Detection and Response (XDR) XDR was created as a replacement for security solutions that are restricted to a single silo in the security environment (such as endpoints or the network). It is the evolution of systems like network traffic analysis and endpoint detection and response (EDR) (NTA).
To identify risks like malware, XDR systems use a range of analytics. They employ the following methods:
- Study of both internal and external traffic
- Thorough threat intelligence
- Based on machine learning, detection
- Behavior evaluation
Intelecis’ Advanced Malware Protection
Protection against threats such as zero-day assaults, advanced persistent threats (APT), advanced malware, and trojans that can avoid conventional signature-based security measures is offered by the Intelecis Advanced Threat Detection and Response platform.
Stop exploit-like actions
Intelecis keeps an eye on endpoint memory to spot exploitable behavioral patterns like an odd process handle request.
Block malware produced from exploits.
Intelecis uses multiple layers of malware protection, such as sandboxing, process activity monitoring, and ML-based static analysis. Additionally, they offer threat intelligence and fuzzy hashing.
Find hidden dangers
Intelecis accurately detects threats throughout the attack chain by focusing on the adversary. Cynet employs an adversarial mental model to identify patterns of behavior and indicators in endpoints, files, users, and networks.
Precise and Exact
With the help of a potent correlation engine, Intelecis’ attack findings are free from excessive noise and have almost no false positives. This makes it easier for security personnel to respond to significant situations.
Attacks by malware are increasing, particularly in the wake of the epidemic. Attacks now total an astonishing 10.4 million every year, on average. Threat pathways and attack kinds are also evolving. Ransomware gangs and malware-as-a-service are more prevalent now than they were before the epidemic, and supply chain and ransomware attacks are on the rise. Connect with us to know more.
