Every year, cybercriminals employ more sophisticated online attacks than the last, innovating with new malware software to execute cyberattacks on organizations. Considering we’re well into the first quarter of the year, it’s imperative that you familiarise yourself with the latest malwares that pose a threat to your data security. Let’s begin!

Malvertising

Last year, a massive malvertising campaign which targeted iOS devices hijacked an astounding 300 million browser sessions in just 48 hours. This trend continues to be a popular avenue for hackers to inject malware into your computer.

Malvertising campaigns involve injecting malicious code into legitimate web pages, which—once clicked by the user—redirects them to a malicious page. Some examples include web banners that show, “You’ve won a gift card or X amount.”

Wipers

We’ve witnessed several wipers this year, including Black Energy, Destover, Olympic Destroyer, and the infamous Shamoon, all of which were used to destroy data and system integrity, leading to great losses for companies.

Common reasons behind these malware attacks are sending a political or opinionated message. In some cases, the hackers orchestrated these attacks to cover their tracks after data ex-filtration.

Fileless Malware

Fileless malware, also known as a zero-footprint attack, can infect targeted computers without leaving any traces on the local hard drive, making it possible to bypass forensic tools and generic security measures.

This type of malware attack takes advantage of vulnerabilities in web browsers or execute via phishing efforts. This plague is growing each year; it nearly doubled in 2018, and continues to present a major cyber threat in 2019 as well.

Emotet

Once a simple banking Trojan, Emotet has paved its way to become a full-scale malware threat and evolved to become one of the most prevalent malwares of 2019. This Trojanware is used to steal financial data using malicious link, script, macro-enabled document files.

It prompts the victim by showing enticing messages to users, such as upcoming shipment or payment details by impersonating a reputable brand or company. With the advances in technology, it’s expected to become more dangerous and powerful in the years to come.

Ransomware

Ransomware is one of the oldest malware techniques, it’s used to—as the name suggests—seek ransom from victims. It’s a malware that takes control of a computer and encrypts its data. Victims are provided with a link to make a payment in order to restore access to their data.

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies have made it easier for hackers to perform financial transactions without getting caught. In 2019, businesses—especially SMEs—require protection against ransomware by strengthening their IT controls, or they face the risk of losing out their valuable data.

Nivdort 

Nivdort—also referred to as Bayrob—is a multipurpose malware that is employed to steal passwords, alter system settings and pave the way for additional malware. The most common method of infecting Nivdort is spam emails. As the victims’ addresses are encoded in the binary form, each file has a unique identity, making it an extremely dangerous malware.

Secure your digital assets

If you are looking for dedicated managed security and IT solutions to safeguard your business against potential cyber attacks, consider hiring the services of Lean Security.

We’re an Australian-based security firm that provides dynamic and effective solutions to our customers, including penetration testing services, among several others.

We’re a reliable penetration testing provider that offers complete security risk assessment to ensure that every modicum of your business application remains protected.

Contact us by calling +61 (2) 8078 6952 or send us an Email at INFO@LEANSECURITY.COM.AU for more information on the latest malwares that pose a threat to your data security.