I usually write a bit more technical articles on medium and on my blog, but I want to start a more “beginner-friendly” series.
This will give me the opportunity to bring as many people as possible closer to the world of cybersecurity.
Perhaps many of you will not be interested in a career in this world. However, in a world where information technology is ubiquitous, it is necessary to pay attention to security.
So I will try to make some articles a little more “informative”!
1. Introduction
“Malware” stands for MALicious softWARE.
It is a general term used to refer to a variety of software which makes intrusive and unauthorized actions against a target.
Usually, its goal is to bring illegal gain to the attacker, but it can be used also just for fun, for proof of strength or for revenge.
It can appear in the form of executable, bash/PowerShell scripts and other software.
2. Types of Malware
Malware can be classified into different categories.
Generally, their classification is based on their behaviour
2.1. Viruses
A virus is a type of malware that replicates itself by making copies that infect other programs or files.
2.2. Worms
A worm is a type of malware that spreads itself by making copies of itself and sending them to other computers.
Differently from viruses they don’t need to infect other files and don’t need user interaction.
2.3. Trojan Horses
A trojan horse is a type of malware that pretends to be something else in order to trick the user into downloading and installing it. Trojan horses can spread themselves through email attachments, file sharing, and infected websites. They can cause serious damage to a computer system, including stealing data, destroying data, and crashing the system.
2.4. Spyware
Spyware is a type of malware that gathers information about a user without their knowledge.
2.5 Ransomware
It’s a type of malware that makes unusable user’s files, usually with encryption and asks ransom to make them accessible again.
This type of malware became famous in the last few years, you probably heard about WannaCry!
The most common delivery vectors for the malware we have seen are:
- email attachments
- file sharing
- infected websites.
However sometimes it can also be installed in other ways:
- The attacker can have physical access to the target machine
- The attacker can exploit out-of-date software or maybe a zero-day vulnerability.
3. Protecting Yourself from Malware
An attacker will try to put as less effort as possible to deliver his malware, so there is not so hard to protect yourself.
For example, a few suggestions can be:
- Install and update anti-virus software.
- Install and update your applications and your OS
- Don’t open email attachments from untrusted people and if the email is suspicious ask the sender if he really sends that email. You should know that the email can be spoofed or maybe the hacker can gain control of the mail server.
- Don’t click on links in email messages from unknown people and if you have to, before doing that do your own checks .
- Don’t download software from unknown websites (if you have doubts check for reviews, check the domain and check how long it has been in existence.
- Don’t click on ads on untrusted websites.
- If you think your computer has been infected with malware, run a scan with your anti-virus and anti-malware software.
- If you can’t remove the malware, you may need to reinstall your operating system (in some cases even this is not decisive).
4. Conclusion
Malware is a serious threat to computer and mobile systems. It can cause serious damage, including corrupting files, destroying data, and crashing the system.
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