Understanding the Enemy: The Top 10 Nastiest Malware Trends

anandk · 13-01-2007, 02:32 PM

Five years ago, the term "malware", if used at all, simply referred to viruses. Over the last few years, however, hackers and spammers have developed all sorts of new ways to invade your computer. Today, Malware, or malicious software, simply means any unwanted code or program that embeds itself on a computer without the user's knowledge.

1. Adware
The most common form of malware is adware. It’s a type of spyware that secretly imbeds itself on your computer and analyzes your web browsing habits and then related banner advertising occasionally in popup windows. While most of the advertisements you see are for legitimate companies, the actual producers of the spyware are not.

2. Browser Hijacker
Browser hijackers, or hijackware, al ter web browser settings to redirect you to a different homepage, typically to questionable websites (adult, gaming, celebrity). Those programs which redirect surfers to adult sites will sometimes leave telltale bookmarks, which have been known to cost people their jobs. check out my old thread Browser Hijackers : New Kinds !

3. Internet Dialer
There are legitimate Internet dialers, but the malware variety does sinister things including making phone calls to 1-900 numbers secretly through your modem. The result is been monster phone bills and lots of family feuds.

4. Keylogger
In the past, keyloggers have been legitimate software used by law enforcement. The FBI used a Trojan to download a keylogger called Magic Lantern, which helped indict Nicodemo Scarfo, Jr., for running an illegal gambling organization. Keyloggers are also used by companies to monitor employees, and by parents to monitor children online.

5. Rootkit
Rootkits are amongst the most sinister of all types of malware, going to the operating system and disabling security features such as firewalls and anti-virus programs, thus rendering themselves invisible...

6. Trojan Horse
Trojan horses are masters of disguise. This form of malware pretends to be innocuous plugins, add-ons, or even CODECs (Encoder/ Decoder) for multimedia audio or video players such as WinAmp...

7. Worm
Worms are a self-propagating (they multiply on their own) form of malware. Worms hunt for security flaws in other computers on the same network as an infected computer and copy themselves onto the new computer through that loophole. This way of multiplying makes worms particularly dangerous, because they can result in huge network traffic floods or outages, as well as mass infection over a short time.

8. Virus
The term “virus” has been used fairly generically in the history of computing, but technically speaking, it refers to software that inserts malicious code into existing documents or even other code ... Today, E-mail is still responsible for about 90% of all viruses spread ...

9. Drive-By Download (DBD)
In general, the term "drive-by download" (DBD) refers to any malware installed without user consent or knowledge. This malware can download spyware, a virus, etc., and this can happen while viewing a website or popup window, or from an email...

10. Piggyback
Piggyback malware refers to embedded malicious code within an otherwise harmless executable file. According to a recent study, 4% of websites and 5%of available downloads were infected with any of 89 types of malware. This means that even trusted sites might cause your computer to be infected, thus rendering IP/ site blacklists less effective. Typically suspect piggyback sites are those having downloads for games, music, and wallpapers, as well as celebrity and adult sites.

more of each at itsecurity