Types of Malware: Know the Threat Before It Hits

Hi there! Malware is the short form of Malicious Software. The ‘malicious’ intent behind designing software is what makes its name. Malware is any program intentionally designed to gain unauthorized access, disrupt, or damage computer systems. Other than disrupting normal operations, hackers use it to gain control of systems or steal sensitive information. 

Malware is known as a pervasive threat, which poses a significant danger to both businesses and individuals. In some cases, the damage done by a single piece of malware could take weeks or months of effort to repair or do damage control. 

This is why you must know everything about malware there is to know: its various types, how it affects your system, and more. It would also be useful for you to strengthen your protection by following the AWS security best practices. I will outline all the types and other aspects of malware today in this blog. Reading the blog till the end would be extremely useful and beneficial for you, to say the least. 

Shedding Light on Different Types of Malware

1. Ransomware

Ransomware refers to a software program that utilizes encryption to lock out the target from accessing their own data until a ransom fee is paid. Inability to operate becomes imminent in the organization being targeted once the ransomware attacks until a payment is made, yet even after payment, there is no assurance that the decryption key will work.

Real-Life Example of Ransomware

The city of Baltimore has been infected this year with ransomware known as RobbinHood. This ransomware stopped all of its operations, including the collection of taxes, transactions of property, and government emails for weeks. This ransomware attack has cost the city about $18 million so far and counting. 

Similar malware was used against the city of Atlanta back in 2018, costing the city about $17 million.

2. Fileless Malware

Fileless malware does not start with an installation at all, but it begins with changing native files from the operating system. This can include files like PowerShell and WMI. Since the edited files are recognized by the operating system as legitimate, a fileless attack bypasses the antivirus system completely. Due to the stealthiness of this method of attack, fileless malware can be ten times more successful than any other malware attack.

Real-Life Example of Fileless Malware

Astaroth is a fileless malware campaign. Users received spam emails that included a link to a.LNK shortcut file. Upon clicking on it, the WMIC tool was started alongside with a bunch of other legitimate Windows tools. These tools downloaded additional code and executed it in RAM. No evidence was left by the attacker.

3. Spyware

Spyware gathers information about user behavior without the user's consent or knowledge. It may consist of passwords, PINs, payment data, and unstructured messages.

Spyware does not use only the desktop browser to collect data; it can function in an important application or on a smartphone.

Despite the fact that this kind of information is not crucial, spyware impacts the entire enterprise in its productivity and performance.

This shows why businesses should opt for cloud security while handling sensitive data and information. 

Real-Life Example of Spyware

DarkHotel, a malicious program that attacked businessmen and government representatives using WIFI from hotels, applied different kinds of malware in order to get access to the computers of certain individuals. Then the attackers installed keyloggers to steal passwords and other sensitive information.

4. Adware

Adware follows the surfing behavior of a user to know the kind of advertisements that would suit them. While adware and spyware share certain similarities, adware does not install any software on a user’s device, nor does it record keystrokes.

Privacy becomes compromised in adware since the information collected through adware is collated with other pieces of information regarding the user’s activities on the Internet, resulting in the compilation of a dossier about the individual which can include his friends, past purchases, places he has been, and many other such details which may be shared or sold to advertisers without the user’s consent.

Real-Life Example of Adware

In 2017, an adware named Fireball infected 250 million devices and altered the default search engine and collected data regarding their web activity. However, it was capable of causing harm beyond just being a nuisance, since 75% of it could remotely execute code and download malware.

5. Trojan

The [trojan](https://www.crowdstrike.com/en-us/cybersecurity-101/malware/trojans/) masquerades itself as authentic software or code. After being downloaded to the computer, it allows the attacker full access to the victim’s system. The trojans normally come masked within applications, video games, software updates, or phishing emails.

Example of a Trojan

Emotet is a complex banking Trojan that can evade detection and propagate itself through a system. The malware was so pervasive that it prompted an alert from the US Department of Homeland Security.

6. Worms

Worms exploit flaws in the operating system for spreading over computer networks. They may get into computers through software back doors, loopholes, and even an infected flash drive. Once inside the computer, the attacker would be able to use worms to commit theft, launch DoS attacks, or deploy ransomware.

Real-Life Example of Works

It is claimed that the Stuxnet worm was developed by intelligence departments of the United States and Israel for attacking the nuclear facilities of Iran. This worm was introduced via a flash drive. This worm mostly targeted industrial controllers that were used in uranium enrichment.

7. Virus

A virus infects an application and activates once the application is run. It could have stolen confidential data, carried out DDoS attacks, and acted as ransomware.

Viruses vs. Trojans

While viruses need an infected application in order to run, Trojans rely on the victim using the downloaded application, while worms need no host application. The malware may belong to several types simultaneously. For example, Stuxnet was a worm, virus, and rootkit.

8. Rootkits

A rootkit provides the attacker with remote control of the system, mostly with administrator privileges. The malware could be planted into applications, firmware, kernels, and any other system component. Attackers can deliver the rootkits using phishing attacks, malicious downloads, attachments, or compromised disks.

Real-Life Example of Rootkit

Zacinlo is delivered using phony virtual private network applications. It can remove competing malware as well as run stealthy web browsers for clicking on fraudulent ads.

9. Keyloggers

A keylogger monitors all activities of the user, especially keystrokes. Although legitimate keyloggers can help with monitoring, malicious keyloggers can be used by attackers to obtain login credentials, banking details, and other confidential data. These are mostly delivered via phishing and social engineering. Opting for AWS security will reduce these risks.

Real-Life Example of Keylogger

Olympic Vision is targeting businessmen from the USA, the Middle East, and Asia. This method utilizes social engineering and spear-phishing to steal sensitive information and track the transactional activities of the organization.

10. Bots/Botnets

A bot performs certain automated actions but is considered dangerous because it helps the attacker connect their infected computer to the server. Usually, the attacker creates thousands of bots and forms a botnet, which helps him conduct an attack in coordination, including a DDoS attack.

Real-Life Example of Botnet

Echobot is a version of Mirai that targets IoT devices by exploiting multiple vulnerabilities. Using Echobot, the attacker can launch DDoS attacks, disruptions, theft, and sabotage.

11. Mobile Malware

Mobile malware attacks mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets using different malware types, including Trojan horses, ransomware, and ad fraud.

Jailbreaking poses a threat to some devices since most of these devices have minimal built-in protection.

Real-Life Example of Mobile Malware

Triada is a rooting Trojan discovered pre-installed in millions of Android devices due to a compromise in the supply chain.

12. Wiper Malware

The objective of wipers is to get rid of all data from the system so that its recovery becomes impossible. Wiper malware can be used by cyber criminals to attack or sabotage businesses, networks, or conceal their attacks.

Real-Life Example of Wiper Malware 

WhisperGate was used against Ukrainian firms in January 2022. This malware included a malicious boot loader corrupting local drives, a downloader, and a file wiper.

Conclusion

As you become acquainted with the types of malware, you will realize that there are many types of malware since each works differently. Some of them silently steal data while others disrupt, propagate across the network, or aim at hiding themselves.

The best way to deal with malware attacks is through awareness and proper practice: updating your software, using strong authentication, backing up, detecting any unusual activity, and being prepared to respond to such activities.

In my opinion, the best strategy to use against malware is to go past the naming aspect. Instead, focus on learning how a threat enters your system, what its target is, how it changes the system, and how to prevent any more harm from it.

All you have to know to make better security decisions is that some downloads, attachments, applications, and logins can be the start of malware.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Q1. Are there different types of malware?

Yes, the types are determined on the basis of their malicious intent and purpose.

Q2. What are some common ways through which malware spreads?

Malicious emails, malicious downloads, compromised sites, and exploiting software vulnerabilities are some of the most popular means of distributing malware.

Q3. Can malware infect smartphones?

Indeed, there are numerous ways in which malware can infect a smartphone.

Q4. Can antivirus software get rid of all malware?

Antivirus software is able to deal with a lot of potential threats, but not all of them.