Malware Attacks - 2.4

General Overview

Malware is a type of malicious software used by attackers to achieve personal or financial gain.

• Viruses
• Worms
• Spyware
• Bloatware
• Ransomware
• Trojan Horse
• Rootkit
• Keylogger
• Logic Bomb

It is important to keep your operating system (OS), applications, and other software up-to-date with the latest patches to address security vulnerabilities.

Regularly create backups to mitigate the impact of a potential malware infection.

Virus

A virus is a type of malware that can replicate itself but requires some form of user action, such as opening an infected file, to initiate the infection process.

Worm

A worm is a type of malware that can replicate itself without user action, typically spreading through network connections to other devices.

Firewalls, Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS), and Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS) can help prevent worm infections by monitoring and blocking suspicious activity.

Spyware

Spyware is malware that monitors and records user activity, often to collect sensitive information such as passwords or credit card numbers.

Bloatware

Bloatware refers to software that is usually unnecessary and is often pre-installed by the device manufacturer. While not always malicious, bloatware can introduce security vulnerabilities and degrade system performance.

Ransomware

Ransomware is malware that encrypts a user's files or system and demands payment, typically in cryptocurrency, for the decryption key needed to restore access.

Trojan Horse

A Trojan Horse is malware disguised as legitimate software or applications, often carrying a malicious payload that can execute once the software is installed or run.

Rootkit

A Rootkit is a type of malware that modifies core system files and can integrate into the system's kernel, making it extremely difficult to detect and remove without specialized tools.

Keylogger

A Keylogger is malware that records keystrokes on a user's keyboard. It can also capture additional data, such as screenshots or search queries, often to steal sensitive information like passwords.

Logic Bomb

A Logic Bomb is malware that remains dormant until a specific condition is met, such as a certain date, time, or user action, at which point it executes its malicious code.

Questions