Malware - A Challenge For Internet Security

Malware is the short form of “Malicious Software”. These softwares are written by attackers for the sole purpose of disrupting computer operation, gathering sensitive information, or gaining access to private computer systems. Malware includes computer viruses, worms, Trojan horses, rootkits, spyware, adware etc. There are many disguises for a malware. Sometimes malware is disguised as legitimate software, but deeply embedded in them are tracking software whose sole purpose is to gather marketing statistics. 

Due to recent scenario

Antivirus, Anti-Malware and other such security suites provide protection against malware attacks. However, the malice effect of Malware and the community behind the creation of these malfunctioning scripts can’t easily be avoided by just installing protection suites. There are “open source” malwares designed on a collaborative platform by the cybercriminals. Today this is the single largest threat to the web users and even antiviruses are incapable of identifying all of these threats due to its constantly evolving nature.

Almost all recent studies around security have shown that web based malware threat protection came as the top priority followed by data breaches.

Ever more concerning is the use of technologies like “Java”. This technology is used by numerous software and web pages, however it is a very vulnerable platform and there are multiple security loopholes, which are used as target to exploit.

Security issues

Although the malware knows no known target computer, but the security issue concerning the protection of enterprise data is much more important than personal data. On an average a single enterprise data attack can cost a company as much as $100,000. Security professionals hence spend sleepless nights finding ways to react to the ever changing and evolving malwares.

Now with the advent of smartphones, it is a new area for cybercriminals to target and plant malwares. Most of these smartphones are always connected to internet and have loads of apps installed which contain hell load of personal information. These make smartphones vulnerable to cybercriminals. To add to the woes of IT Department, the recent trend of BOYD allows end users access secured enterprise data over smartphone which is still not monitored the way traditional PC networks are managed. Installing reliable antivirus software can however keep a check on the phishing and scam activities but has its own limitations.

As said earlier, most antivirus software in not always capable of protecting the system against the malwares, and that data breaches occurrence is growing leaps and bounds every day, it falls responsibility on the end users too to get updated about the malwares and other forms of security issues that they might face, and also to install a safe browser and avoid installing software from unknown publishers.

Cybercriminals will never stop innovating ways to perform data breaches, hence it’s our responsibility to stay awake and protect ourselves and hope for the best.

Author Bio

Abel Wike is head of security research division; she has been 4 years experience on fraud prevention activities. She recommends website anti malware scan from geotrust to reduce the risk of malware attacks. It can identify malicious code & assure your clients that website is malware free by showing anti malware seal.      

Note: If you want to learn more about Linux and Windows based Penetration testing, you might want to subscribe our RSS feed and Email Subscription  or become our Facebook fan! You will get all the latest updates at both the places.