www.comparitech.com Open in urlscan Pro
209.58.173.178  Public Scan

Form analysis
3 forms found in the DOM

GET https://www.comparitech.com/

<form role="search" method="GET" class="searchform" action="https://www.comparitech.com/">
  <input aria-label="Enter search keywords" class="searchform-input" type="text" placeholder="Enter search keywords" value="" name="s">
  <input aria-hidden="true" value="en" name="language" type="hidden">
  <button aria-label="Search" class="searchform-submit" value="Search"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" height="136pt" version="1.1" viewBox="-1 0 136 136.21852" width="136pt">
      <title>Search</title>
      <g id="surface1">
        <path
          d="M 93.148438 80.832031 C 109.5 57.742188 104.03125 25.769531 80.941406 9.421875 C 57.851562 -6.925781 25.878906 -1.460938 9.53125 21.632812 C -6.816406 44.722656 -1.351562 76.691406 21.742188 93.039062 C 38.222656 104.707031 60.011719 105.605469 77.394531 95.339844 L 115.164062 132.882812 C 119.242188 137.175781 126.027344 137.347656 130.320312 133.269531 C 134.613281 129.195312 134.785156 122.410156 130.710938 118.117188 C 130.582031 117.980469 130.457031 117.855469 130.320312 117.726562 Z M 51.308594 84.332031 C 33.0625 84.335938 18.269531 69.554688 18.257812 51.308594 C 18.253906 33.0625 33.035156 18.269531 51.285156 18.261719 C 69.507812 18.253906 84.292969 33.011719 84.328125 51.234375 C 84.359375 69.484375 69.585938 84.300781 51.332031 84.332031 C 51.324219 84.332031 51.320312 84.332031 51.308594 84.332031 Z M 51.308594 84.332031 "
          style=" stroke:none;fill-rule:nonzero;fill-opacity:1;"></path>
      </g>
    </svg></button>
</form>

POST https://www.comparitech.com/wp-comments-post.php

<form action="https://www.comparitech.com/wp-comments-post.php" method="post" id="commentform" class="comment-form" novalidate="">
  <p class="comment-form-comment"><label for="comment">Comment</label><textarea id="comment" name="comment" cols="45" rows="8" aria-required="true"></textarea></p>
  <p class="comment-form-author"><label for="author">Name</label> <input id="author" name="author" type="text" value="" size="30" maxlength="245" autocomplete="name"></p>
  <p class="comment-form-email"><label for="email">Email</label> <input id="email" name="email" type="email" value="" size="30" maxlength="100" autocomplete="email"></p>
  <p class="form-submit"><input name="submit" type="submit" id="submit" class="submit" value="Leave Comment"> <input type="hidden" name="comment_post_ID" value="351094" id="comment_post_ID">
    <input type="hidden" name="comment_parent" id="comment_parent" value="0">
  </p>
  <p style="display: none;"><input type="hidden" id="akismet_comment_nonce" name="akismet_comment_nonce" value="6e4e51077c"></p>
  <p style="display: none !important;"><label>Δ<textarea aria-label="Akismet comment check" name="ak_hp_textarea" cols="45" rows="8" maxlength="100"></textarea></label><input type="hidden" id="ak_js_1" name="ak_js" value="1700172472150">
    <script>
      document.getElementById("ak_js_1").setAttribute("value", (new Date()).getTime());
    </script>
  </p><input id="ak_js" name="ak_js" type="hidden" value="1700172472152">
</form>

GET https://www.comparitech.com/

<form role="search" method="GET" class="searchform" action="https://www.comparitech.com/">
  <input aria-label="Enter search keywords" class="searchform-input" type="text" placeholder="Enter search keywords" value="" name="s">
  <input aria-hidden="true" value="en" name="language" type="hidden">
  <button aria-label="Search" class="searchform-submit" value="Search"><svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" height="136pt" version="1.1" viewBox="-1 0 136 136.21852" width="136pt">
      <title>Search</title>
      <g id="surface1">
        <path
          d="M 93.148438 80.832031 C 109.5 57.742188 104.03125 25.769531 80.941406 9.421875 C 57.851562 -6.925781 25.878906 -1.460938 9.53125 21.632812 C -6.816406 44.722656 -1.351562 76.691406 21.742188 93.039062 C 38.222656 104.707031 60.011719 105.605469 77.394531 95.339844 L 115.164062 132.882812 C 119.242188 137.175781 126.027344 137.347656 130.320312 133.269531 C 134.613281 129.195312 134.785156 122.410156 130.710938 118.117188 C 130.582031 117.980469 130.457031 117.855469 130.320312 117.726562 Z M 51.308594 84.332031 C 33.0625 84.335938 18.269531 69.554688 18.257812 51.308594 C 18.253906 33.0625 33.035156 18.269531 51.285156 18.261719 C 69.507812 18.253906 84.292969 33.011719 84.328125 51.234375 C 84.359375 69.484375 69.585938 84.300781 51.332031 84.332031 C 51.324219 84.332031 51.320312 84.332031 51.308594 84.332031 Z M 51.308594 84.332031 "
          style=" stroke:none;fill-rule:nonzero;fill-opacity:1;"></path>
      </g>
    </svg></button>
</form>

Text Content

Menu Close
Search
Search
 * VPN
   * By Use
     * Best VPNs of 2023
     * Business VPN
     * Netflix
     * Kodi
     * Torrenting
     * Hulu
     * Sky Go
     * Gaming
     * BBC iPlayer
     * Tor
   * By OS/Device
     * Mac
     * Windows
     * Linux
     * Windows 10
     * Firestick
     * iPhone and iPad
     * Android
     * Windows Phone
     * DD-WRT Routers
   * By Country
     * China
     * Japan
     * US
     * UK
     * Canada
     * Australia
     * Germany
     * France
     * UAE & Dubai
   * Guides
     * Fastest VPNs
     * Cheapest VPNs
     * Free VPNs
     * How to access the deep web
     * Is torrenting safe and legal?
     * Build your own VPN
     * Facebook privacy and security
     * How to encrypt email
     * How to stay anonymous online
     * How we test VPNs
     * See all
   * Reviews
     * NordVPN
     * Surfshark
     * ExpressVPN
     * IPVanish
     * PrivateVPN
     * StrongVPN
     * CyberGhost
     * PureVPN
     * See all
 * Antivirus
   * Reviews
     * Norton Antivirus
     * TotalAV
     * Intego VirusBarrier X9
     * McAfee
     * VIPRE
     * Panda Security
     * Eset
     * See all
   * By OS/Device
     * Mac
     * Windows
   * Guides
     * Best Antivirus in 2023
     * Best Free Firewalls
     * Free Antivirus Software
     * Malware Statistics & Facts
     * See all
   * Compare providers
     * McAfee vs Kaspersky
     * Norton vs Kaspersky
     * McAfee vs Norton
 * Online backup
 * Streaming
   * Kodi
   * Plex
   * Sports Streaming
   * TV Streaming
   * IPTV
 * Blog
   * VPN & Privacy
   * Cloud and Online Backup
   * Information Security
 * More Comparisons
   * Password Managers
   * Identity Theft Protection
   * Usenet
   * Privacy & Security Tools
   * Internet Providers
   * Parental Control Software
   * Net Admin Tools
   * Data Privacy Management
   * Data Recovery Software
   * Crypto
   * Utilities
 * About Us
   * About Our Company
   * Press
   * Software Testing Methodology
   * Editorial Process
   * Join us
   * Contact

 1. Net Admin
 2. Malicious Code—What is it and How to Prevent it?

We are funded by our readers and may receive a commission when you buy using
links on our site.


MALICIOUS CODE—WHAT IS IT AND HOW TO PREVENT IT?

At the center of most cyber attacks and security breaches are a sinister
application called malicious code. We show you how malware infections happen,
and how you can protect your IT assets. 
Amakiri Welekwe Technology Advisor | Cybersecurity Evangelist
UPDATED: February 8, 2023



WHAT IS A MALICIOUS CODE?

Today’s cyber threat landscape has become more sophisticated and challenging.
The number of cyberattacks and data breaches has skyrocketed in the last few
years, both in size and scope. The recent malware statistics show that malware
is still a significant problem worldwide. At the center of these security
challenges are a sinister application called malicious code. A malicious code or
malware is any software intentionally created to act against the interests of
the computer user by causing damage to the computer system or compromising data
stored on the computer.

Since broadband internet access became ubiquitous, malicious software has more
frequently been designed to take control of users’ computers for for-profit and
other illicit purposes such as data modification, stealing, destruction,
sabotage, or hostage-taking. Most malware can install itself on the victim’s
system, make copies of itself and spread to other victims, use an event to
initiate its payload execution (steal or deletes files, install backdoors,
etc.), removes itself after the payload has been executed, and uses all kinds of
evasion techniques to avoid being detected. Some of the methods used to evade
detection include:

 * Evasion of detection by fingerprinting the environment when executed.
 * Confusing automated detection tools such as signature-based antivirus
   software by changing the server used by the malware.
 * Execute by following specific actions taken by the user or during specific
   vulnerable periods, such as during the boot process, while remaining dormant
   the rest of the time
 * They are obfuscating internal data so that automated tools do not detect
   malware.
 * Use information hiding techniques such as steganography to evade detection
   (stegomalware)




HOW DO MALWARE INFECTIONS HAPPEN?

Malware infections can affect your computer, application, or an entire network.
The infections take place through a variety of means, including physical and
virtual. Malware authors often use tricks to try to convince users to download
and open malicious files. For example, phishing attacks are a common malware
delivery method where emails disguised as legitimate messages contain malicious
links or attachments that can deliver the malware executable file to
unsuspecting users.

Malware can also spread through infected removable drives such as USB flash
drives or external hard drives. The malware can be automatically installed when
you connect the infected drive to your PC. In addition, some malware comes
bundled with other software that you download. This includes software from
third-party websites, files shared through peer-to-peer networks, programs used
to generate software keys (keygens), browser toolbars, and plugins, among
others.

Attackers can take advantage of defects (vulnerabilities) in existing software
due to insecure coding practices to infect your application with malicious
codes. The malicious code can come in the form of injection attacks (SQL
injection, JSON injection, cross-site scripting, etc.), directory traversal
attacks, cross-site request forgery (CSRF) attacks, among others.  A typical
example of defects in software is the buffer overflow vulnerability. Many
malware exploits buffer overflow vulnerabilities to compromise target
applications or systems.

Sophisticated malware attacks often feature the use of a command-and-control
server that enables malicious actors to communicate and control infected systems
in a botnet to steal sensitive data or get them to do their bidding.

How can you tell your computer has been infected with malicious code? A user may
be able to detect malware infection if they observe any unusual activity such as
a sudden loss of disk space, prolonged speeds, strange cursor movements, and
mouse clicks, denial of access to your device or data, the appearance of unknown
applications you did not install, anomalous network traffic, among others.


DOES MALWARE AFFECT MAC, LINUX, AND MOBILE DEVICES?

Most users think that only Windows machines are vulnerable to malware. They
assume that users of Linux and Mac devices are immune and need not take
precautions. The truth is malware can affect Windows, Linux, and even Mac
devices.

Windows devices are considered a larger target for malware than the other
platforms because they dominate the market share, which has made them the more
significant and more accessible target for malicious actors. Today, Macs aren’t
as safe as they used to be. As Mac devices grow in popularity, malware authors
appear to focus more on them. According to Malwarebytes’ 2020 state of malware
report, the amount of malware on Macs is outpacing PCs for the first time.

There are also malicious codes that specifically target the operating systems of
mobile devices such as tablets, smartphones, and smartwatches. These types of
malware rely on the exploits of particular mobile operating systems. Although
mobile malware is not as pervasive as malware that targets workstations, they
are becoming a growing concern for consumer devices.

Apple iOS devices such as iPhones are less likely to be infected with malware
than Android devices. This is because iOS devices are highly locked down, and
apps go through extensive checks before getting on the App Store. However, we
know that some governments and sophisticated criminals are armed with
million-dollar hacking tools that can penetrate iPhones. Notwithstanding, iOS
devices are generally safer and will only become more vulnerable if jailbroken.


WHAT ARE THE COMMON TYPES OF MALWARE?

Malicious code is a broad term that refers to a variety of malware programs.
Examples include computer viruses, worms, spyware, adware, rootkits, logic
bombs, fileless malware, trojan horse, and ransomware.

Computer viruses are small applications or strings of malicious codes that
infect computer systems and host applications. Computer viruses do not spread
automatically; they require a carrier or medium such as USB or the internet to
propagate and almost always corrupt or modify files on a targeted computer.
Computer viruses come in different forms, some of which include:

 * Polymorphic virus—the polymorphic virus attempts to evade signature-based
   antivirus applications by changing its signature upon infection of a new
   system.
 * Compression virus—a virus that appends itself to executables on the system
   and compresses them by using the user’s permissions.
 * Macro virus—a virus written in macro languages such as Microsoft Office or
   Excel macros.
 * Boot sector virus—a virus that infects the boot sector of a PC and loads upon
   system startup.
 * Multipart virus—a virus that spreads via multiple vectors. Also called a
   multipart virus.
 * Stealth virus—a virus that hides from the OSs as antivirus applications.

Worms: Worms are malware that replicates themselves to spread to other
computers. They are more infectious than viruses and often use a computer
network to propagate themselves, relying on security defects on the target
computer to access it. Worms are dangerous because of the malicious code they
carry (payload) and their potential to cause bandwidth degradation or even
denial of service due to aggressive self-propagation. One of the most famous
computer worms is Stuxnet, which targeted Siemens SCADA systems. It was believed
to be responsible for causing substantial damage to the nuclear program of Iran.

Spyware and Adware: Spyware is a type of malicious software secretly installed
to gather information (including browsing habits) about a particular user or
entity, which it then sends to another entity for malicious intent such as
identity theft, spamming, targeted ad, etc.

Adware is software that generates revenue for its developers by automatically
generating online advertisements. The ads can be provided through pop-ups, user
interface components, or screens presented during the installation process. The
goal of adware is to generate sales revenue, not carry out malicious activities,
but some adware uses invasive measures, which can cause security and privacy
issues.

Rootkits: A rootkit is a collection of malicious software tools designed to
enable root access to a computer or an area of its software that is not
otherwise allowed.  Rootkits are loaded on the compromised system to allow the
attacker to carry out malicious activities while hiding their tracks. The
attacker usually replaces default system tools with new compromised tools, which
share similar names.

Rootkits can reside at the user or kernel level of the OS. It can also live at
the firmware or in a hypervisor of a virtualized system. A user-level rootkit
has minimal privileges and thus cannot carry out as much damage. If a rootkit
resides in the hypervisor of a system, it can exploit hardware virtualization
features and target host operating systems. Rootkits in firmware are challenging
to detect because software integrity checking does not usually extend to the
firmware level. Rootkit detection and removal can be complicated because the
rootkit may be able to subvert the software that is intended to find it.
Detection methods include behavioral-based methods, signature-based scanning,
and memory dump analysis.

Logic Bombs: A logic bomb is a malicious code intentionally inserted into a
software system to set off a negative function when specified conditions are
met. The logic bomb software can have many triggers that activate its payload
execution at a specific time or after a user carries out a particular action.
For example, a malicious actor may install and configure a logic bomb to delete
all of the digital evidence if forensics activities are carried out.

Fileless malware: Fileless malware, just as the name implies, does not write any
part of its activity to files on the computer hard drive; instead, it operates
exclusively from a victim’s computer’s memory. Because there are no files to
scan, it is harder to detect than traditional malware. It also makes forensics
more difficult because the malware disappears when the victim’s computer is
rebooted.

Since there are no files for antivirus and forensic tools to analyze, detecting
such malware can be difficult. In 2017, Kaspersky Lab published a report about
fileless malware attacks affecting 140 enterprise networks globally, with banks,
telecommunication companies, and government organizations being the top targets.

Trojan Horse: A Trojan horse is any malware that disguises itself as a
legitimate program to mislead users of its true intent. Trojan horses perform
their expected normal functions in addition to the malicious functions in the
background. Users are typically tricked by some form of social engineering into
loading and executing trojans on their systems. Once installed, trojans can also
use decoys to maintain the illusion that they are legitimate.

For example, when executed, a trojan disguised as a wallpaper or game
application will typically run as a wallpaper or game application. While the
user is distracted by these decoys, the trojan can quietly perform malicious
actions in the background. Trojans are classified according to the type of
malicious actions they perform. Examples include banking trojan, remote access
trojan (RAT), backdoor trojan, FakeAV trojan, etc. Notable examples of trojans
include Zeus, MEMZ, and FinFisher.

Ransomware: Ransomware is a type of malware that threatens to publish the
victim’s data or perpetually block access to it by encrypting the victim’s files
unless a ransom is paid. Ransomware attacks are typically carried out as part of
a phishing scam or using a trojan disguised as a legitimate file that the user
is tricked into downloading or opening when it arrives as an email attachment.
The attacker proceeds to encrypt specific information that can only be opened by
a mathematical key they know. When the attacker receives payment, the data is
unlocked.

Notable ransomware attacks include WannaCry (2017) and REvil (2020). The
WannaCry ransomware spread through the Internet in 2017, infecting more than
230,000 computers in over 150 countries and demanding US$300 per computer. REvil
is a private ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) operation that threatens to publish
victims’ data on their blog (doxxing) unless a ransom is paid. In April 2021,
REvil stole Apple’s upcoming product blueprints and threatened to publish them
unless a $50 million ransom was paid. Both WannaCry and REvil have been taken
down.


HOW CAN YOU PREVENT AND PROTECT YOUR IT ASSETS FROM MALWARE INFECTION?

Protecting your device, critical applications, and indeed your entire network
from those long lists of malware requires more than just rolling out antivirus
software. Nowadays, antivirus and another signature-based approach to security
are no longer considered enough to protect systems from modern cyber threats.
With over 350,000 new malware discovered every day, it’s practically impossible
for antivirus applications to keep tabs on these new and emerging threats.

This is why organizations need to develop a risk-based information security
program that embraces the principles of the zero-trust security model in their
security strategy to boost cyber resilience. A security program should address
risk issues from a strategic, tactical, and operational standpoint. This
includes designing and implementing administrative, physical, and technical
controls to protect critical digital assets, as detailed in Table 1.0 below.
Administrative controls focus on security policies, procedures and guidelines,
security awareness training, and other human factors of security that define
personnel or business practices in line with the organization’s security goals.
Physical controls are measures put in place to prevent unauthorized physical
access to critical IT assets. Technical controls focus on hardware or software
components such as antivirus, firewalls, IPS/IDSs, access control lists (ACLs),
application whitelisting, etc.

Type of ControlPreventiveDetectiveCorrective PhysicalPhysical access controlCCTV
and surveillance camera logsRepair and restore physically damaged assets
AdministrativeRisk management, security policies, and procedures, backup plan,
etc.Auditing, security event mgt, change mgt, etc.Incident response plan,
DR/BCP. TechnicalAntivirus, IPS, MFA solution, updates, whitelisting, ACL,
etcIDS, honeypots, vulnerability scanners, static testing, etc.Patching,
blacklisting, quarantine techniques, etc

Table 1.0 | Comparison of administrative, physical, and technical security
controls

For organizations that develop business-critical applications, one way to
prevent malicious code from ruining your applications is to embrace secure
coding practices, including static code analysis in your software development
lifecycle. Static analysis is used to secure applications by reviewing the
source code when it’s not running to identify malicious codes or evidence of
known insecure practices. It is one of the most effective ways to prevent
malicious code from successfully causing damage to your business’s critical
applications. Automated tools such as Invicti, Acunetix, Veracode, Checkmarx,
and others implement static code analysis to detect and prevent malicious codes
such as backdoors, logic bombs, rootkits, etc.

Users looking to protect and prevent malicious codes from infecting their PCs
can install antimalware software as an added layer of security. Beyond that,
users can avoid malware by practicing safe behavior on their computers or other
personal devices. This includes keeping software updated, using
non-administrative accounts as much as possible, being careful about downloading
unknown programs and attachments that may contain malware in disguised form,
among others.


MALICIOUS CODE FAQS


WHAT IS AN EXAMPLE OF MALICIOUS CODE?



Malicious code is an expansion of the timer “virus.” Over the years, there have
been many types of viruses so there are now a lot of different definitions for
different types. Malware includes:

 * Viruses
 * Worms
 * Trojans
 * Remote access Trojans
 * Spyware
 * Adware
 * Ransomware
 * Rootkits
 * Keystroke loggers
 * Rubber duckies
 * Fileless malware




WHAT ARE 3 TYPES OF MALICIOUS CODE?



Malicious code can take many forms. Three types that you need to defend against
are viruses, worms, and Trojans. A virus is the classic form of malware that
needs to be delivered onto a device. A worm is able to replicate itself through
automated processes, such as email generation with the malware hidden in an
attachment. A Trojan masquerades as a desirable utility that the victim
willingly downloads and activates.




HOW DOES MALICIOUS CODE HAPPEN?



Malicious code is created by hackers and miscreants to destroy or steal data, to
appropriate system resources, or attack other systems out of revenge or as a
threat to extort money.






WHAT'S IN THIS ARTICLE?

 * What is a Malicious Code?
 * How do malware infections happen?
 * Does malware affect Mac, Linux, and mobile devices?
 * What are the Common Types of Malware?
 * How Can You Prevent and Protect Your IT Assets From Malware Infection?
 * Malicious code FAQs
 * What is an example of malicious code?
 * What are 3 types of malicious code?
 * How does malicious code happen?


COMMENTS


LEAVE A REPLY CANCEL REPLY

Comment

Name

Email





Δ

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Search
Search
Twitter icon
 * Home
 * Blog
 * Our Authors
 * Privacy policy
 * Cookies Policy
 * Terms of use
 * Disclosure
 * About Comparitech
 * Contact Us
 * Accessibility

© 2023 Comparitech Limited. All rights reserved.
Comparitech.com is owned and operated by Comparitech Limited, a registered
company in England and Wales (Company No. 09962280), Suite 3 Falcon Court
Business Centre, College Road, Maidstone, Kent, ME15 6TF, United Kingdom.
Telephone +44(0)333 577 0163
SolarWinds


EVERYTHING TO MANAGE & MONITOR YOUR NETWORK IN ONE SIMPLE BUNDLE

SOLARWINDS TOP 5 ESSENTIAL IT TOOLS

 1. Web Heldesk simplifies support ticketing
 2. Remote Support - desktop remote control
 3. FTP Server for internal and external file sharing
 4. Patch Manager - network wide Windows updates
 5. Engineers Toolset has 60+ tools for network monitoring, management and
    security

DOWNLOAD FREE TRIAL

Fully functional for 30 days

Comparitech uses cookies. More info. Close