What is malware and how does it work?

Malware is rampant. Find out what malware is, how it works, and how you can prevent infection. Taiwanese computer and electronics giant Acer was hit by the REvil ransomware attack. For the secure decryption of the data, the hackers demanded a record ransom of $ 50,000,000.

For anyone who keeps an eye on cybersecurity, this may not come as a surprise – attacks like these have become more and more common over time. So what is malware? How can your device get infected? Can we take some precautions or are we all at risk?

What is Malware?

Malware, short for malicious software, is a computer program designed to interrupt or damage the normal functioning of the system. It does this in a variety of different ways. Sometimes, malware damages your data. And at other times, it might steal and send your data to third parties, as does spyware, a type of malware.

Malware is further classified into different types of malicious programs, depending on their behavior. The most common types of malware include viruses, spyware, worms, adware, trojans, and ransomware.

A brief history of malware

Around 1967, the now famous scientist, John Von Neumann, published an article entitled “Theory of self-reproducing automata”. As the name of the article suggests, it proposed a theory about the advent of computer programs in the near future that could self-replicate. The theory soon became a reality in the year 1971.

A man named Bob Thomas created the first malware, Creeper, to have fun with his colleagues. Creeper was a type of malware that would now be classified as a worm. It simply switched from one computer to another over a network and displayed the message “I’M THE CREEPER: Catch me if you can”, it was harmless and did not cause any problems.

This was a long time ago. We’ve come a long way from simple programs designed to prank your coworkers. Now, malicious codes are capable of destroying entire networks, as demonstrated by the infamous WannaCry ransomware attack of May 2017. It prevented users from accessing their data by encrypting the files and then demanding a ransom to decrypt them.

How does malware work?

So how does this threatening program work? After it infiltrates your system, the malware starts with its set activities, ranging from snooping and logging your online activities or credentials to corruption of your operating system files.

Malware can arrive on your system from various places. It can travel through USB drives, connect together with a regular program, spy through a download drive-by or spread via malicious websites. Once in your system, it will start damaging your system in a discreet way until it becomes obvious that something is wrong.

Here’s how to prevent malware attacks

It goes without saying that a malware infection should be avoided in the first place. Here are some ways to avoid it.

1. Use an antivirus program

Professional antivirus software is a must-have utility if you are not a cybersecurity professional. The world of security moves fast; faster than normal users can keep up. When using an antivirus program, consider it as outsourcing your cybersecurity needs to specialists, who are at the forefront of protecting everyone from online threats.

2. Avoid pirated downloads, seriously

Ethical issues aside, an even bigger problem with downloading software, games, movies, or any other illegal digital product is the associated risk of malware. It matters very little where you download it from. Whether it’s torrents or other third party websites, they too have to make money hosting the files. This is usually done by installing spyware, a type of malware that logs your activities, which is installed along with the files you download.

3. Update your operating system regularly

The bad guys are always looking for loopholes in existing technologies. They tinker with drivers and operating systems, until they find a sweet spot and the next thing you know, there is an outbreak of malware.

And that’s why OS developers are always on the lookout. Update and fix any bugs that occur inadvertently or fix security holes that can be used against you; as was done with WannaCry in 2017. Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone or Android – it doesn’t matter which platform you’re using. Keep your system up to date!

4. Don’t click on suspicious links

From time to time, you will come across strange links. They can be found in your emails (possibly with an attachment), on apps, or on websites as buttons or ads.

Do not click on these links.

This could result in malware being installed on your system. Remember, phishing attacks they are still one of the popular methods of installing malware on systems. And if there’s a link you really need to click, make sure before it’s safe.

5. Avoid using open Wi-Fi

One attacco Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) it is one of the most common ways used by hackers to steal your information such as bank and transaction IDs, emails and much more. In addition to spying on your private information, they can easily install malware on your PC as well.

While we understand the convenience that comes with free public Wi-Fi, the security risks are not worth it. If you really need to use a public network, make sure you’re at least protected from MITM attacks by installing a VPN, which protects data in transit.

So did you understand what malware is and how it works?

Malware is a real threat in the computing world. In fact, the financial loss caused by the malware is expected to rise to a whopping 10.5 trillion dollars by 2025, compared to $ 3 trillion lost in 2015. But with the right information and taking the necessary precautions, you can easily avoid any malware infection.