What is Malware?
Malware, a portmanteau of “malicious” and “software”, is an umbrella term that can refer to viruses, worms, trojans, ransomware, spyware, adware, and other types of harmful software. One of the defining characteristics of malware is that it needs to be intentionally harmful. Any software that unintentionally causes harm is not considered malware.
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The general purpose of malware is to disrupt the normal operations of a device.
This disruption can range in purpose from displaying advertisements on a device without consent
to gaining root access to a computer.
Malware may try to hide itself from the user in order to quietly collect information
or it may lock down the system and hold data for ransom. In DDoS attacks, malware such as Mirai targets vulnerable devices, turning them into bots under the attacker’s control. Once modified, these devices can be used to carry out DDoS attacks as part of the botnet.
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The creation of malware originated from experiments and pranks carried out by computer programmers, but the discovery of the commercial potential it creates turned malware development into a lucrative black-market industry. Today, many attackers offer to create malware or launch malware attacks in exchange for compensation.
What are Some Common Types of Malware?
- Spyware – As the name suggests, spyware is used to spy on user behavior. Spyware can be used to monitor a user’s web browsing activity, display unwanted advertisements to the user, and modify affiliate marketing streams. Some spyware uses what is known as a keylogger to record a user’s keystrokes, allowing the attacker to access sensitive information including usernames and passwords.
- Viruses – A virus is malicious software that can be embedded in an operating system or part of a program; the victim needs to run the operating system or open the infected file in order to be affected.
- Worms – Unlike viruses, worms replicate themselves and spread across the network on their own. A user does not need to run any software to become a victim; simply being connected to the infected network is enough.
- Trojans – These are pieces of malware that are hidden inside other useful software to lure the user into installing them. Pirated copies of popular software are often infected with trojans.
- Rootkits – These software packages are designed to modify an operating system so that unwanted installations are hidden from the user. A well-known example is the Sony rootkit scandal of 2005, when Sony sold 22 million music CDs infected with a rootkit that would secretly install software designed to disable CD copying on the buyer’s computer. This rootkit opened the door for other attackers to target the infected computers with additional malware.
- Ransomware – This software can encrypt files or even an entire operating system on a computer or network and hold them encrypted until a ransom is paid to the attacker. The rise of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies has increased the popularity of ransomware attacks, as attackers can accept payment anonymously and reduce their risk of being caught.
What are the Risk Factors for Malware Infection?
- Security Bugs – Software such as operating systems, web browsers, and browser plugins can contain vulnerabilities that attackers can exploit.
- User Error – Users opening software from unknown sources or booting their computers from untrusted devices can introduce serious risks.
- Operating System Monoculture – Using a single operating system across every computer connected to the network also increases the risk of malware infection; if all devices run the same OS, it is possible for a single worm to infect all of them.
How Can You Stop Malware?
No one can be completely immune from malware attacks; new attacks are constantly being developed to challenge even the most secure systems. But there are many ways to reduce exposure to malware attacks. These include:
- Antivirus and Anti-malware Software – Running regular scans on a computer or network is critical for detecting threats before they spread.
- Website Security Scans – People who operate websites should be aware that malware can target website software to display private files, hijack the site, and potentially even harm visitors to that site through forced malware downloads. Running regular security scans on a website can help identify these threats.
- Web Application Firewall (WAF) – Another good resource for website operators is a WAF, which can block malware at the network edge and prevent it from reaching the site’s origin server.
- Air Gap Isolation – This is the last resort option; air gap isolation means cutting a computer or network off from all external networks and internet connections by disabling any device that would make connections possible. Even this is not a guaranteed defense and has been circumvented through tactics such as the “dropped drive” attack, where USB drives are dropped in a company’s parking lot in the hope that a curious employee will find one and plug it into a computer on the network, infecting the isolated network with malware.
