por Do you know the 6 types of malware, what are their differences and the specific functions of each of them? Malware is almost as old as computing itself. The first malwarecalled Creeper, dates back to 1982 and, despite its simplicity, gave rise to a new type of software which would cause great dangers in the future. Next, We will talk about the 6 types of malware that have developed over the years and how they act on the systems they infect.
The 6 types of malware
Computer viruses
The category of computer viruses encapsulates other types of malware. For this reason, it is necessary to take into account that some malicious programs combine several types of malware on one only. A malware It is considered a virus whenever it requires the user to download, install and run (manually or automated) the malicious program..
Computer worms
Computer worms are malicious programs designed with the ability to spread on their own. And how are they different from viruses? In which viruses require the user to run them on their computer for them to act; On the other hand, worms are capable of spreading on their own thanks to their code.
Trojan viruses
Trojan viruses are also a category of malware that encapsulates others and, as its name indicates, is a type of virus that disguises itself as a benign application or file to enter the user’s system, like in the Trojan Horse story. There are different types of malware Trojans, such as:
Droppers: they perform the function of downloading others malware to the infected computer.Keyloggers: They spy on a computer’s keyboard keystrokes and specifically detect the user’s passwords.Proxy viruses– Allows attackers to spoof the user’s IP address to execute malicious tasks.Adware– Malicious ads on the web that redirect to suspicious sites or download virus files.Rootkits: the rootkits They are viruses designed to evade detection by security systems. Currently, the normal thing is that all malware have a component of rootkit in order to be functional.
Spyware
The spyware are malware that spy on the information on your computer. These programs They are characterized by giving remote control tools to attackers in order to spy on the files, browsing histories, databases and passwords of a computer or network.. A notable example of these types of malware is he spyware Pegasus, developed by the Israeli company NSO Gruop.
Ransomware
Ransomwares are malware whose function is to encrypt files or prevent the use of a computer, in exchange for a ransom that must be paid by victims to an anonymous address. exist malware that lock the equipment and prevent its use completely; There are also others, more common, that encrypt the most important files of the user or the affected network.
The ransomware They are programs that can be purchased under illegal subscription models in the dark web. This illicit business model is known as ransomware as a service or ransomware as a service (RaaS). This attack method is so popular among cybercriminals that, In 2021, more than $5.2 trillion in bitcoin transactions were recorded related to the payment of ransoms.
Miners
The malware Miners do not usually directly affect the integrity of infected devices or their sensitive data. However, impairs the functioning of affected computers and allows attackers to profit by exploiting foreign memory resources.
The malware Miners can occur through botnets or malicious web pages. Botnets are networks of infected computers that are connected to a command and control server managed by a group of attackers.. In this way, malicious hackers send instructions to the zombie network of computers, which follow their orders.
Malicious websites that use our computers to mine cryptocurrencies can be detected and avoided in different ways. First of all, Some browsers, such as Chrome and Opera, have features to bypass these sites. On the other hand, using common sense and avoiding suspicious sites is one of the best antidotes.
How to learn more?
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