Search

Malware (malicious software) is a general term for software used to interfere with a computer, gather sensitive information, or gain access to a protected information system. This type of software is created and used by cybercriminals and other malicious actors, even governments, to intentionally harm an information system. 

The most recognizable types of malware are computer viruses , but there are other types such as ransomware , trojans , adware, spyware and worms . Each type of malware has its own way of functioning, so the damage caused by each of them is of different degree. 

Despite the fact that there are certain definitions and divisions of malware, the categories cannot be definitively distinguished, so it often happens that one malware performs activities that are characteristic of other types of malware. 

Malware is distributed in a variety of ways. Most users download malware themselves, but as installed programs and devices communicate on the internet in different ways due to their activity, they sometimes have different vulnerabilities that attackers can take advantage of. In most cases, these vulnerabilities are addressed by software and hardware vendors, so it is important to regularly install software and device updates. 

Malware can perform a variety of operations, ranging from redirecting users to fake websites to destabilising the entire system. A special type of malware are keyloggers, which record keyboard strokes and send the records to third parties. Also, there is a type of malware that has the ability to send several thousand emails from an infected computer. Here are some other common types of malware:

• A virus is a type of malware that replicates itself in existing files, programs, and even the operating system  itself. It usually modifies the contents of files or deletes them, which can cause the system to crash if a virus deletes a system file;
• A trojan is a type of malware that, when installed, performs operations that are defined by the attacker, most often deleting or modifying data, but it can often damage the entire system. They usually look like regular and useful installation files, so that is how they got their name;
• Adware (advertising software) is a type of malware that automatically displays advertisements when searching the internet when it infects the system, which brings revenue to the person who created it;
• Spyware (spying software) is a type of malware that collects data from an infected system and passes it on to a third party, usually the one which created it. With this malware, unauthorised persons can gain access to passwords  , personal data, correspondence, etc;
• A worm is a type of malware that replicates itself. This means that if one computer within the system is infected, it is very likely that all computers connected to it will be infected after a certain time. It most often damages the network and the system by slowing down the flow of data in the network. Worms are independent malware, i.e. unlike viruses, they do not have to be linked to an existing program to be transmitted.

Organisations nowadays face one of the biggest security problems and forms of cybercrime, a form of malicious software called ransomware. This form of malware encrypts  files on anything from a single computer all the way up to an entire network, including servers , so that the files cannot be accessed without a decryption key. The attackers then ask for payments in cryptocurrency to provide targets with the decryption key, usually within a short time frame to put more pressure on the targets. 

Some ransomware infections start with clicking on what looks like an innocent attachment that, when opened, downloads the malicious files and begins the encryption process. Larger ransomware campaigns use software exploits and flaws, cracked passwords and other vulnerabilities to gain access to organisational systems using weak points such as internet-facing servers or remote-desktop logins to gain access. The attackers will secretly hunt through the network until they control as much as possible – before encrypting all they can.

Victims of ransomware attack can often be left with few choices; they can either regain access to their encrypted files by paying a ransom to the criminals behind the ransomware, restore files from backups or hope that there is a decryption method freely available.

Small and medium-sized businesses are commonly targeted by ransomware because they tend to have poorer security standards and practices compared to larger corporations.

It is not always easy to recognise malware, as it often happens that users are initially unaware that their device/system is infected. Sometimes malware activity can be noticed due to spontaneous deterioration of system performance. The average user certainly cannot completely remove malware on their own without the use of specific anti-malware software. These programs monitor the system, scan the files downloaded from the internet and email, and if they find any malware, they quarantine it or delete it, depending on the settings. 

However, it is not enough to just install a specific application  that will scan and remove malware - it is also important that users do not install untrusted applications, click on suspicious links, open suspicious emails or visit unreliable websites.

Data backup Digital hygiene Malware Damage Cybercrime Device reset System restore

According to the most general classification, technical attacks can be carried out either without direct access to the server or with the need of access to the server. In the first group are mostly incidents whose most important goal is to prevent access to the content of the site. 

There are several ways to crash a server, and the most commonly used is a DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attack. This means that a huge number of devices simultaneously send access requests to the attacked server, which cannot answer all the queries and simply stops working. After the attack stops, in most cases the server and the site work normally. 

Ransomware is a form of malware which encrypts files on anything from a single computer all the way up to an entire network, including servers, so that the files cannot be accessed without a decryption key. The attackers then ask for payments in cryptocurrency to provide targets with the decryption key, usually within a short time frame to put more pressure on the targets. 

Phishing is focused on exploiting the lack of knowledge or gullibility of the target and is mostly done by email. It is usually used for various scams, such as the famed “Nigerian Prince”, infecting devices with malware or gaining access to sensitive information, such as financial data or login credentials. Potential targets are sent a fraudulent message which is made to look authentic and as if it was coming from someone from the position of authority, such as a bank or police. The recipient is then asked in the email to open the attached file or click on a link in order to do something very important, e.g. to update bank account information or review a received payment. 

Interception of communication (voice, video, text chats, internet traffic) is also a risk, as there are actors such as intelligence agencies and criminals with advanced capabilities and resources to conduct surveillance of unencrypted communications channels. Issues such as government hacking are becoming increasingly dangerous for citizens’ communications privacy due to the growing surveillance industry, which keeps developing and selling one advanced product after the next.

Code injection is a more sophisticated type of attack, when malicious code is inserted through some open form of the site or through a URL. The goal of the attack is to instigate the database or other part of the site to perform operations that have no visible result, but occupy the server's resources until they flood it with activities, thus shutting it down. In some cases, after these attacks, the site becomes unusable, so the content is restored with the last saved copy . Regular backup of the site is rightly considered an elementary security procedure. 

Trojans that enter the system through social engineering are first on the list when it comes to the number of some types of attacks. Users usually pick up the infection on obscure websites where they recklessly accept the warning that they are “infected” and activate a fake antivirus. In this way, millions of hacking attacks are carried out each year, which puts the trojans in an unsurpassed advantage over other hacker attacks. The best protection against this type of attack is education and information about modern forms of threats. In organisations, this problem is somehow solved by filtering sites that can be accessed from a computer in the local network. 

Computer worms are malicious programs that multiply themselves, using computer networks to transmit to other computers, usually without human intervention. They can arrive as an email attachment and their operation is enabled by security vulnerabilities in the operating system. The best protection against worm attacks are antivirus software and quality passwords [PASSWORS]. Other good methods are firewalls, not opening suspicious emails and regular software updates.

Online harassment includes many forms of abuse, such as impersonation (i.e. someone making a fake social media or email account with your personal data), smear campaigns, hate speech, threats, cyberstalking, etc. When such incidents occur, it is best to report and block the accounts in question and gather any digital evidence to be used for potentially filing a criminal complaint: relevant links or URL addresses, screenshots  of profiles and messages, phone/app  call logs and similar. 

Attacks that require access to a server are mostly complex and more serious. They are aimed at stealing data, altering content, placing fake content and disabling access to content. These attacks are complex because the attacker must break through all the security measures set on the server in order to reach certain passwords, access codes and the like. They also require greater expertise of the attacker.

Server DDos Digital hygiene Malware Harassment Cybercrime