While we are all busy adapting to the new measures necessary to curb the spread of the unpredicted coronavirus pandemic, malicious hackers are taking advantage of the instability to spam users with malware. What exactly are they doing and how can you protect yourself?
Let’s delve deeper.
What is malware?
This is malicious or unwanted software spread with the intent of carrying out a malicious activity such as stealing or ransoming a victim’s data.
Malware attacks amidst coronavirus pandemic
The past few months have witnessed an upsurge in massive malware attacks themed coronavirus in a bid to get unsuspecting users into following links or downloading malicious programs.
Victims have been duped into downloading malicious contents that are supposedly ‘important’ safety or recovery guidelines from the government. Many others have fallen for deceptive contact tracing apps that only end up collecting user data, and uploading it to remote servers without the victim’s consent.
Types of malware
There are different kinds of malware attacks. The common types that you are likely to encounter are
- Spyware: If affected, this malware will collect and send your data to remote servers without your knowledge.
- Ransomware: Ransomware attack denies you access to important files until you pay a said ransom after which access is restored.
- Adware: Adware spams a target’s browser with malicious and unwanted advertisements. Once clicked on, these ads redirect users to malicious websites.
- Rootkits: A rootkit attack gives an attacker remote access and control of a user’s device.
- Keyloggers: This malware secretly spies on a user’s login details and credentials by monitoring their keystrokes.
How to increase your protection against malware
- Use antimalware software: Installing antimalware software helps in timely detection and blocking of malware before they can cause any harm to your device.
- Update your devices: Updating your devices helps by sealing the security vulnerabilities which are, in most cases, used as an avenue by malicious attackers.
- Use a firewall: A firewall will help keep malicious outsiders from your network.
- Invest in an email scanning software: A reliable email scanning service will help block all fishy emails before they get to your inbox. This is the best way to soft out spam and other phishing emails.
If undetected, malware attacks can wreak havoc on individuals and businesses. Fortunately, these attacks are preventable, and the tips shared above will help you stay safe.