Malware is one of the most common and serious threats to businesses and can cause catastrophic damage to systems and data. In this post, we look at the different types of malware and discuss how cybercriminals get them onto your systems and how to prevent infections from taking place.
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Different types of malware
The statistics surrounding malware are frightening, according to cyber insurance outfit, Worth, there are over 1 billion separate pieces of malware in existence, with half a million new ones discovered every day . Statista, meanwhile, shows there were over 6 billion global malware attacks in 2023.
There are so many variants of malware, that they are categorised into different types according to their functions. One type that most people are familiar with are viruses. These programs are designed to attach themselves to genuine software and once installed, go on to infect other systems. In terms of damage, they can corrupt software, delete files, reformat hard drives or multiply over and over to overwhelm networks. Worms are similar to viruses, in that they replicate and spread to other systems, however, they are not attached to other software and so are installed using different methods.
Another well-known type of malware are Trojan horses, normally referred to as Trojans. Like the Trojan horse in the Greek myth, they disguise themselves as legitimate friendly software but once installed carry out malicious operations that frequently go undetected. Unlike viruses, Trojans don’t replicate.
One of the most feared forms of malware and one that gets a lot of press attention is ransomware. Ransomware is designed to encrypt files on computers and systems, preventing anyone from using them and potentially taking an organisation’s system completely offline. Victims have to pay a ransom to get hold of the decryption key in order to restore their system – however, restoration is not always successful as the files are sometimes corrupted. Frequently, cybercriminals also steal data during a ransomware attack and demand another ransom to prevent them from releasing that information online or selling it on the dark web.
Two other common types of malware are spyware and adware. Spyware, as the name suggests, is used to spy on users. Depending on the individual program, it can record keystrokes, track app use and internet activity, take screenshots and even take over cameras to record the voice and activities of users. This information is then sent to the cybercriminals enabling them to do everything from stealing login credentials to blackmailing users. Adware, meanwhile, is designed to put unwanted ads on your screen. These are so intrusive that it makes it notoriously difficult to use the computer. Ironically, many of these ads tell you that you have a malware infection and try to sell dodgy antivirus software.
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How malware gets on your system
Besides there being so many different types of malware, there are also numerous ways for it to get on your system. One of the most common methods of infection is through email. Billions of spam emails are sent every day and many of these are malicious. Clicking links or opening attachments in these emails can trigger the download and installation of malware. Malware can also be installed when downloading software, movies, music, images and other files from unofficial sources. Users who use pirate file sharing sites are particularly vulnerable to these kinds of infections. You don’t even need to download anything, with a drive-by infection, you just need to visit a compromised website or click on a malicious ad.
Hackers will also try to infect systems. They can install malware if they have stolen login credentials or gained backdoor access to your system via a brute force attack. They can also steal login information from your database using an SQL injection attack. At other times, they will exploit vulnerabilities in outdated software or weaknesses in network security as a means of gaining access.
Sometimes systems can be infected accidentally. If someone with an infected home computer shares a file online or moves it to a portable drive and then plugs it into a work computer, anyone who opens that file may find that their system gets infected too.
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Preventing malware attacks
With such a wide range of ways malware can end up infecting your system, there is no single solution you can use to block it. Instead, it requires a multifaceted approach. If you are a business, one of the most important things you can do to prevent infection is to train your staff about the different ways it can take place so that they know the potential risks and what to look for. This should be backed up with robust policies that ban the downloading of certain types of files from the internet and prohibit portable drives from being plugged into office computers. Administrators, meanwhile, should block access to websites that are potentially risky, such as pirate file-sharing sites.
To prevent hackers from using compromised login credentials to infect systems, passwords should be strong and changed regularly. If two-factor authentication is implemented, hackers will find it difficult to access accounts even with login credentials. Similarly, network devices, like routers, should also have strong passwords with only admins having access to them.
Email-based infections can be addressed by the use of advanced spam filters, like SpamExperts, that use sophisticated algorithms and machine learning to identify and block phishing and other malware-spreading emails. However, while these can remove 99.98% of malicious emails from your inbox, staff still need training in how to spot the 0.02% that do get through.
To prevent hackers from infecting systems by exploiting vulnerabilities in outdated software, the simple solution is to set up automatic updates. This way, as soon as a security patch is released to remove the vulnerability, your software will be updated. However, this does not deal with the issue of zero-day vulnerabilities, where weaknesses are found and exploited before developers can get around to providing a fix. In this case, you will need to rely on antivirus software to detect any infection and block it. Indeed, antivirus software is crucial for all devices on the system as it is able to detect and quarantine all types of malware, including that in emails, downloaded files and on portable and hard drives. It is important, however, to ensure that you keep your antivirus software up to date so that it has the latest library of malware threats installed.
For protecting servers and the websites, applications and data stored on them, the most effective solution is to use the security services of your web hosting provider. A good provider will use advanced firewalls to block malicious traffic, as well as intrusion and malware prevention tools that block hackers and prevent malware from reaching your server. They will also offer security tools, like SpamExperts, as add-on services. Moreover, a reputable web host will also provide 24/7 technical support, so that if your system is infected, you will have an expert on hand to help you deal with the issue.
Finally, if the worst happens and your system is not only infected but permanently damaged by malware, having a backup of your server is absolutely vital. Rather than having to build your system from scratch, a process that can be extremely costly and take your business offline for long periods, a backup will enable you to recover relatively quickly and inexpensively. For many businesses, this can be the difference between survival and going bust.
Choose the right backup solution, read: Website Backups – Why Cloud is the Best Solution
Conclusion
Malware in all its forms poses a significant threat to individuals and businesses. It exists in vast quantities, can be installed in various ways and carries out a multitude of pernicious actions. Moreover, cybercriminals are constantly using it to make attacks. Defending your system and devices from malware requires a multi-faceted approach that addresses the various ways in which infection can take place. Hopefully, from reading this article, you will have a clearer idea of what these are and how to stay secure.
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