Malware and Hacks – What to Look Out for?

It is likely that all of us can agree that technology is incredible. It has come on leaps and bounds over the years and helps us create, organize, and host some amazing things in our lives.

However, as with almost everything, there are certain things we have to look out for and be wary of, such as cyber-attacks. Cyber-attacks can come in many different forms, and one attack is not always the same. These attacks can be particularly problematic for businesses but also devastating for individuals’ personal use too.

With this in mind, this piece will help you understand the different types of attacks you can become a victim to with technology and some steps to preventing it.

A Virus

A virus is perhaps the most common phrase used to describe an attack on technology, but the problem is often not actually a virus. Viruses infect other files and can be passed on through transmission to other computers or files, which can make it particularly difficult to tackle. However, luckily, viruses are becoming less and less common. That being said, here are three recent viruses you should look out for, and remember to invest in some anti-virus software for your computer to help lessen your chances of your technology becoming infected.

Ransomware

Ransomware is probably one of the most common malware forms we see in the movies. This is where malware infects the computer either through a link or something else that can be seen as harmless and then proceeds to lock all of the data on the device. This data can then be held to ransom until you pay up (most likely in cryptocurrency). The scary thing about ransomware is it is not random. It can be meticulously calculated right down to working out how much the victim can afford to pay, and by also deleting any backups they may have on their device too. It is unlikely people will target those who do not have any information of value, so businesses can be vulnerable. Make sure you have an offline backup of all critical files.

SQL Injection

A Structured Query Language (SQL) injection is used to infiltrate technology by sneaking into the system with ‘untrusted data’. Once it is in, it conducts research on the database and how it operates. It can then make commands and interact with the database, which the database will then execute (seeing it as a legitimate command). These interactions can include tricking a database to login without a valid password or change and delete data without permission. To prevent this from happening, make sure to have a chat with Veracode, who can identify SQL injection vulnerabilities and keep your systems secure.

Adware

Adware can be another disruptive form of malware, which can be quite disturbing in today’s climate of digital advertising. The malware directs you to an ad page that can look legitimate but can ultimately be malicious. At best, it directs you to look-alike pages that will promote other products and might not be safe to purchase from! If you are not sure what size you are purchasing from or interacting with – shut it down!