These Are the Ways You Get Malware

Malware has been a problem for people that rely on technology for decades. Like the security that is designed to mitigate the effect of malware, the malware itself has grown in potency and frequency and is a major problem for businesses. Today, we will take a look at a few ways you can get malware. 

Spear Phishing

One of the most common attack vectors for cybercriminals, spear phishing is the act of people disguising themselves as common entities to get their targets to provide their login credentials. These attacks can come in from all different directions: phone calls, email, messaging, social media, and even snail mail. Once a cybercriminal gains access to an account they can infect your network with malware, including ransomware. 

Malvertising

Unfortunately, as the Internet grows, you can get malware on your computer by simply surfing the web. This happens through what is called malvertising. This is when malware is injecting malicious code into advertisements that are used on legitimate websites. Some can simply slow down your computer while some can hijack your browser controls and continuously direct them to pages full of ads. 

Trojan Downloads

Trojans are strains of malware that have been around for decades. Today, users can acquire them through legitimate pieces of ancillary software from the Internet and email. While the initial download is legitimate, over time the software can be exploited to create malware. When a user installs any third-party software, the built-in security protections of the app store are circumvented. 

Infected Documents

Documents such as .txt, .pdf, and others are all over the Internet. That’s why when users download them, they don’t think there is a problem. Unfortunately, it doesn’t take much for one of these documents to contain malicious code and end up infecting your computer and network. Every time developers attempt to fix this issue, hackers find ways around it. 

Imposter Sites

Cybercriminals will now set up sites that look legitimate to get people to interact with them and provide them with the data they need to get access to networks. This happens in multiple ways that are designed to pull the wool over users’ eyes, such as changing a single letter in a URL or simply copying the design of a website but adding malicious links. 

Fraudulent Mobile Apps

With so many people and organizations using smartphones for business purposes, there are apps out there that can turn into malware, much like the ancillary software you find with browsers and websites. Fortunately, the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store both have protections that keep malware from being a problem. Software updates can change apps and create problems for users. 

If you are having trouble with malware, or think you do and are not sure, reach out to the IT professionals at k_Street Consulting, LLC. Our technicians can help you navigate today’s dangerous computing situations and keep malware from being a problem for your business. Give us a call at (202) 640-2737 to learn more.