Do You Know What is Spyware and How Does It Work | Total Security

Spyware is one of the oldest types of malware and continues to be one of the most dangerous. As the name suggests, spyware is a specific type of software that spy on you when you use your computer. It is important to be aware of the possible signs of spyware so that you can recognize the problem and take action. Read on to learn more about what spyware is, what it does, and how you can protect your devices from it.

What is Spyware?

Spyware is a form of malware that infects your devices, monitors your online activity, and collects your personal information without your knowledge or consent. It collects this information in a variety of ways, such as capturing keystrokes, email addresses, web form data, and credit card numbers. Common symptoms include poor system performance, frequently freezing applications, problems with booting your computer, and problems with the Internet connection.

There are different types of spyware such as:

Password Thieves

This type of spyware collects passwords from infected devices. These include passwords stored in web browsers and login information for your computer.

Banking Trojans

Spyware that records credentials from banks and other financial institutions such as brokerage or digital wallets. Trojans detect vulnerabilities in browsers and interfere with web pages and transactions without informing either the user or the organization.

Info Stealers

A type of spyware that scans infected devices for information such as usernames, passwords, browser history, log files, documents, or multimedia files. The software then transfers the information to another server or stores it on your PC where hackers can access it.

Keyloggers

This type of spyware, sometimes called system monitors, logs your computer's activity. It can track keystrokes, sites you visit, search history, and email conversations. He also takes screenshots of your activities frequently. Certain types of keyloggers can also collect information from other connected devices, such as printers.

How Common is Spyware?

Spyware is an extremely common type of cyberattack, although it has declined somewhat in recent years as ransomware and crypto mining have become more prevalent.

One in ten American consumers has experienced a cyber attack on their home computer, although spyware now ranks below ransomware, crypto mining, and other common types of malware.

What Are the Risks?

There are two main risks associated with spyware. The biggest problem is that spyware steals personal information and can put you at risk of identity theft. It can access your browsing history, email accounts and logins for online banking and shopping accounts, and social media accounts. This is more than enough information to steal your identity. If spyware obtains information about your bank or credit card, it can use that information to make purchases in your name or to sell your data to other parties.

In addition, spyware can cause significant damage to your computer and other devices. It can drain your computer's memory and cause it to slow, freeze, crash, or even overheat. Spyware can also alter search results, change your home page and settings, or deliver malicious websites to your browser.

How Spyware Infects Your Computer?

There are many different ways spyware can infect your device. Some of the more common ones are:

Drive-by Downloads

When booting from the disk, a website or pop-up window will automatically download spyware to your device. You may receive a warning stating the name of the software and asking for permission to install it, but in many cases, there is no warning at all.

Download Software

Certain software downloads over the Internet, in particular file sharing applications, can also install spyware on your devices. This is most common with free versions of software that you usually have to buy.

Fake Anti-spyware

In some cases, spyware disguises itself as anti-spyware. These programs assure you that they will detect and remove spyware from your computer. After you run them, you will get a message stating that your computer is clean, when in fact spyware is installed on it. If you try to uninstall the program, the spyware will remain on your computer.

Links or Attachments

Spyware, like most other types of malware, can be sent via a link or email attachment. Never click on an unfamiliar link or attachment or open an email from an unknown sender. This can download and install spyware on your computer. Clicking on malicious links can also infect your device with a worm. These worms are used to spread malicious software across the network to which your device is connected.

Spyware for Mobile Devices

Some types of spyware are designed for mobile devices. This type of spyware infects iPhone and Android devices when you install an application that contains malicious code. Some of these apps are legitimate but have been modified to contain malicious code, others are malicious, and some have fake download links.

What Can I Do if I Find Spyware on My Device?

Spyware can be extremely difficult to detect. Some warning signs include excessive pop-ups, your browser redirecting you spontaneously, and your browser's home page changing. Another common symptom is that your computer is very slow to boot, open programs, or save files.

If you suspect that your device has spyware, it should be removed immediately. You need to purchase a powerful cybersecurity software like total security that has advanced spyware removal capabilities. This type of program removes spyware from your device and restores any changed files or settings.

After removing the spyware, contact your bank, credit card company, and other financial institutions to warn them that your account might be compromised. In these cases, you may need to request a new bank account or credit card number. In some cases, you may also need to contact law enforcement.

How Can I Prevent Spyware?

If you have a device that connects to the Internet, there is always the risk of spyware and other types of malware. However, there are a number of steps you can take to reduce the risk of spyware on your device. Here are some ways to protect your devices from spyware:

Use Anti-spyware

There are many anti-spyware programs on the market that scan your computer and detect any spyware. However, it is important to make sure that you have purchased your anti-spyware program from a reputable internet security provider. Sometimes spyware disguises itself as anti-spyware, so it's important to use a trusted provider. After you have purchased the program, be sure to update it regularly for maximum efficiency.

Set Up Your Browser Security

Many browsers allow you to adjust security settings from low to high. Find out what options are available for your specific browser. Some browsers may even act as a firewall against the installation of cookies and unwanted operations.

Don't Trust Pop-ups

Often, ads and offers that appear in pop-up windows may contain viruses or spyware. Some of these pop-ups claim to have a virus on your computer or claim to be an extension to improve your online experience. Don't click "Agree" or "OK" to close the pop-up window, always click on the red "X" instead.

Internet Security Practice

As with other types of malware, spyware often comes in the form of a link or attachment. Beware of emails from unknown senders and never click on links or attachments if you don't know what they are.

Conclusion

Spyware is on the decline, although it continues to pose a significant threat to businesses. Spyware is especially dangerous because it can get your confidential information. They can then use that data to steal your identity or incur costly charges on your accounts.

When you use a device that connects to the Internet, there is always a risk of malware. However, by taking the necessary precautions, you can protect yourself and your devices from spyware.

How to Protect Your Data Backup From Ransomware?

Ransomware gets smarter by attacking backups to prevent recovery. To prevent this from happening, take a few simple steps.

Despite the recent decline in the number of attacks, ransomware still poses significant threats to businesses. Such attacks become more dangerous. In particular, ransomware authors understand that backups are significant defenses and modify their malware to track and destroy backups.

Reducing the Number of Ransomware

The company McAfee reported a decrease in the number of malware samples, and over the past year. According to the latest report, in the third quarter of 2019, the number of ransomware samples was less than half of the number of samples at the end of 2018, when their number reached about 2.3 million. According to Kaspersky Lab, 765,000 of its users were thrashed by malware that encrypted files over the past year, compared with more than five million that were attacked by crypto miners.

BitDefender Threat Research Director Bogdan Botezatu says the main reason for stopping ransomware attacks is because security companies are better protected against them. “There will always be new versions of ransomware, some of which will be more cultivated than others and some more difficult to catch, but we do not wish the ransomware to become much larger in scale,” he says. "At least not more than last year."

“For several years, ransomware has been the main threat, but the numbers have declined significantly,” said Adam Kujava, head of malware research at Malwarebytes. However, the ransomware that is there is evolving, he says. For example, malware authors take advantage of the latest exploits such as the ones leaked from the NSA. “We see them popping up in many relatives of malware,” he says. “When you use this kind of exploit, if you infect one system, you can infect a lot more using these exploits. You're creating a much bigger goal - that's a trend. "

Backup is the New Target of Ransomware

According to Kuzawa, the Ransomware now deletes all backups that come along the way. For example, a common ransomware tactic is to delete automatic copies of files that Windows creates. “So if you go to system recovery, you can't go back,” he said. "We've also seen how they access shared network drives."

Two recent examples of ransomware that have a sight on the backups, - Samsam and Ryuk. In November, the US Department of Justice indicted two Iranians to use malware SamSam to extort more than $ 30 million in more than 200 victims, including hospitals. The attackers maximized the damage by launching attacks outside business hours and "encrypting the victims' computer backups," the indictment says.

Most recently, Ryuk hit several major objectives, including the Los Angeles Times and the provider of cloud data Data Resolution. Ryuk includes a script that removes shadow volumes and backup files, according to security researchers at Check Point. “While this particular malware variant is not specifically designed for backups, it compromises simplified backup solutions that result in storing data on file shares,” says Brian Downey, senior director of product management at Continuum, based at Boston. a technology company that offers backup and recovery services.

The most common way is to use a Microsoft Windows feature called "Previous Versions," said Munir Hahad, head of threat research at Juniper Networks. This allows users to restore earlier versions of files. “Most ransomware variants delete shade copy snapshots,” he says, counting that most ransomware attacks will also attack backups on connected network drivers.

Ransomware Attack on Opportunistic, Untargeted Backups

However, this does not mean that all backups are vulnerable. According to David Lavinder, chief technology officer at Booz Allen Hamilton, when ransomware uses backups, these are not intentional targets. Depending on the ransomware, it usually works by scanning the system looking for certain types of files. “If it locates the extension of the backup file, it will encrypt it for sure,” he says.

Ransomware is also trying to spread by infecting as many other systems as possible, he says. This is a type of worm, as is the case with WannaCry, where more activity is expected to be seen in the future. “We don't desire to see deliberate targeting of backups, but we do expect to see more attentive efforts,” he says.

You can protect your backups and systems from these new ransomware tactics by taking a few basic protection.

Supplement Windows Backups With Extra Copies and Third-party Tools

To protect itself from ransomware that deletes or encrypts local file backups, Kujawa suggests using additional backups, third-party utilities, or other tools that are not part of the default Windows configuration.

Isolate Backups

The more barriers live between the infected system and its backups, the more difficult it will be for the ransomware to get to it. One common mistake people make is that users use the same authentication method for their backups as elsewhere, according to Landon Lewis, CEO of Pondurance, a cybersecurity consulting firm in Indianapolis. “If your user's account is compromised, the first thing an attacker wants to do is to elevate their privileges,” he said.

Store Multiple Copies in Multiple Locations

Lewis recommends that companies keep three different copies of their important files using at least two different backup methods, and at least one of them should be in a different location. Cloud backups provide an easy-to-use off-site backup option, he says. “It is very inexpensive to block online storage. It's hard to argue why someone wouldn't use it as an additional backup method. And if you use a different authentication system, that's even better. " Addition to cloud storage companies should rely on cloud antivirus for any potential vulnerability.