Cyber Spy and enemy: Malware;Definition and types

As the use of technology and opportunities increase,malicious practices and cyber attacks are not just increasing but becoming sophisticated . Hence, it is expedient and of great importance to continually create sensitization and awareness to boost cyber security amongst individuals, businesses, organizations and even the government.

Malware, short for malicious software, is a term used to describe any software that is designed to cause harm to a computer system, its users or data stored in it. This article would go a long way to provide a comprehensive overview of malware, including its definition and types.

Brace up for an insightful read because by gaining a better understanding of malware, one can be able to take advantage of the knowledge to take necessary steps to safeguard digital assets and stay protected in the ever-evolving world of cybersecurity.

Malware, or malicious software, is any program or file that is intentionally harmful to a computer, network or server. It is installed on a computer without the user's consent and this software in turn performs malicious actions.

Depending on the type of malware and its goal, its harm may present itself differently to the user or endpoint. In some cases, the effect malware has is relatively mild and in others, it can be disastrous.

Types of Malware:

Here are some common types of malware along with real-life examples:

1. Virus:

A type of malware that replicates itself and infects other programs on a computer.

A computer virus, much like a flu , is designed to spread from host to host and has the ability to replicate itself. A virus operates by inserting or attaching itself to a legitimate program or document that supports macros in order to execute its code. In the process, a virus has the potential to cause unexpected or damaging effects, such as harming the system software by corrupting or destroying data.

An example of a well-known virus is the "ILOVEYOU" virus that spread via email in 2000. Read more here 

Some signs include;

• Frequent crashes. A virus can inflict major damage on your hard drive. This may cause your device to freeze or crash. It may also prevent your device from coming back on.
• Unusually slow computer performance. A sudden change of processing speed could signal that your computer has a virus.
• Unusual activities like password changes. This could prevent you from logging into your computer.
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• 2. Trojan Horse:
• The term is derived from the Ancient Greek story of the deceptive Trojan Horse that led to the fall of the city of Troy.This is a type of malware that disguises itself as legitimate software but can cause harm once installed. A Trojan is designed to damage, disrupt, steal, or in general inflict some other harmful action on your data or network.Its aim is to deceive one  into loading and executing the malware on your device. Once installed, a Trojan can perform the action it was designed for.

A trojan horse has similarities with a virus but unlike virus it can’t replicate itself.

An example is the well-known "Zeus" Trojan was used to steal banking information by infecting a victim's computer and recording their keystrokes.

3. Ransomware:

A type of malware that encrypts a victim's files and demands payment in exchange for the decryption key. Ransomware is a form of malware that encrypts a victim's files. The attacker then demands a ransom from the victim to restore access to the data upon payment.

Users are shown instructions for how to pay a fee to get the decryption key. The costs can range from a few hundred dollars to thousands, payable to cybercriminals in Bitcoin.

The "WannaCry" ransomware attack in 2017 affected over 200,000 computers in 150 countries.

4. Spyware:

Just like the real life definition of a spy being a person employed to seek out top secret information from a source.

Spyware is a malware that is designed to monitor a user's activity and steal sensitive information, such as passwords and credit card numbers.

Whether legitimate or based in fraud, spyware’s surveillance activity leaves you open to data breaches and misuse of your private data. Spyware also affects network and device performance, slowing down daily user activities.

By becoming aware of how spyware works, you can avoid issues in enterprise and personal use.

The "Stuxnet" worm, which targeted industrial control systems, is an example of a highly sophisticated spyware program.

5. Adware:

A type of malware that displays unwanted ads or pop-ups on a user's computer.

It is an unwanted software designed to throw advertisements up on your screen, most often within a web browser. Some security professionals view it as the forerunner of the modern-day PUP (potentially unwanted program). Typically, it uses an underhanded method to either disguise itself as legitimate, or another program to trick you into installing it on your PC, tablet, or mobile device.

"CouponDropDown" is an example of adware that was distributed through software downloads and caused pop-up ads to appear on infected computers.

Note: These are just a few examples of the many types of malware that exist, and new types are constantly being developed by cybercriminals. It's important to stay informed and take proactive steps to protect against them by continually being informed.