Cyberattacks can be so frustrating. Severe ones can bring both large-scale and small-scale businesses down to their knees. Malware attack is one such kind of a cyber-threat that is giving business owners and tech experts sleepless nights. Malware attacks are now popular, courtesy of cybercriminals who are unwilling to give up easily despite the numerous anti-malware measures that security professionals have put in place.
Enterprises are now the primary target for malware attackers. According to report by Symantec, there was a 12% increase in enterprise malware in 2018, this is despite the general 20% decrease in malware attacks over the same year. You must understand that your online business is vulnerable to malware attacks. Knowing the repercussions that awaits you when such an attack happens to your online business as well as the essential measures you can use to protect your business is necessary. But first, you must understand what a malware attack is and the various forms of malware attacks that could be targeting your business.
Meaning of Malware Attack
A malware attack is a type of cybersecurity attack where an attacker injects a malicious software or code into the computer system of the victim without the knowledge of the victim. Malware attacks are usually aimed at gaining personal information of the victims, bypassing access controls, compromise device functions or damaging the entire computer system, usually for monetary gains and other malicious reasons. Here are some common types of malware attacks that hackers could use to target your online business.
1. Virus
A virus is type of a malware attack that is created with the primary reason of infecting your system, gain your sensitive information and gain admin control. It is the most popular form of a malware attack. Viruses could create copies of themselves and to spread to other computers and files.
Viruses usually spread through emails or opening an attachment in an email. They can also spread through visiting an infected website or opening an infected file and clicking on an infected advertisement. Removable storage devices such as flash-discs and USB drives could be the culprits behind the spread of viruses.
2. Trojan Horses
A Trojan horse is not just a form of malware by itself, but it refers to the form through which a malware payload can be delivered into a computer system. Trojan horse attack derives its name from the story of the Trojan war. A group of Greek army conceal inside a massive hollow wooden statue of a horse to enter troy. Trojans see it as a gift of surrender and celebrate while letting the wooden horse inside their walls. Once inside, the Greek army stage their attack.
A Trojan horse attack is inspired by the same story. A cyberattack will disguise malware as a genuine file or a legitimate piece of software to convince the target into installing the piece of software. Once installed, the attacker will then go ahead to stage an attack and compromise your entire system.
3. Spyware
Spyware is also a common type of malware that hackers are using today. Spyware is a malicious software that is installed on the victim’s software without the consent of the victim. The purpose of it all is to invade the device so as to carry out spying functionalities such as gathering the user’s sensitive information, monitoring the activity of the victim and also changing the security measures and settings laid down by the victim. Any malicious software that is downloaded without the consent of the user can be classified as spyware. When your online business suffers a spyware attack, be sure of the risks such losing credit card numbers, essential banking information and passwords.
Spyware are usually hard to detect and could cause massive harm by the time they are detected. Some indicators that your system has been infected with spyware may include reduction in processing speeds, network connection and website loading speeds.
4. Ransomware
Ransomware is yet another major malware threat that could ever face your online business. It is a type of malware where the attacker encrypts the files contained in your system and denies you access to the files. The attacker will then demand a fee, called a ransom, to restore your access to the system once the payment has been made. Users will be shown the payment instructions on how they can pay the fee, usually in bitcoins. One way through which malware can reach your computer systems is through malicious spam which is the malicious email that delivers malware to your system. Malicious advertising is also a popular way through malware could reach your system. If not dealt with properly, a malware attack can hold you hostage and bring all the operations of your online business to an unplanned close. You could also lose a lot of money paying that ransom fee.
5. Adware
This is a form of a malware attack that is designed to show advertisements on your screen. It is created primarily for advertising. Adware will generate revenue for its owner by automatically displaying itself as pop ups on your online business website. Most free software versions usually contain adware; therefore, we encourage software users to go for premium software tools.
These forms of malware could really be threatening to the life of your online business. They could lead to loss of vital information, expenditure of huge amounts of money trying to repair your system plus other devastating repercussions. The good news is that, with proper measures in place, you could easily prevent them.
Measures to Protect Your Online Business from Malware
1. Install an Anti-Virus Software
Installing an anti-virus software is one of the working ways that can help protect your online business from malware attacks. The software will play the essential role of protecting your computer system from malicious software that could be a threat. An anti-virus software will conduct periodical scans to your system to detect any malicious code and software that could pose a threat. It will also clean up the malicious software and erase it from your computer system. It will conduct automatic updates to give your computer an enhanced protection on the lately created malware infections. To make sure that your business is safe from those malware attacks, you must start thinking about installing an anti-virus software.
2. Install an SSL Certificate
An SSL certificate will not directly protect your online business from malware. However, having it is so essential and a steppingstone towards winning the war against malware attackers. An SSL certificate will encrypt the communication happening between your servers and browsers. It thus keeps off malicious hackers off the radar. It makes it hard for them to intercept the communication and alter its intended purpose or plant in their malicious codes. I advise that you buy an SSL certificate if you must win the war against intruders and malware attacks. SSL certificates are available at cheap price. If your online business website is one that contains multiple subdomains then you can use a cheap Wildcard SSL certificate. It will save you money and protect your website against intruders.
3. Carry Out Regular Software Updates
Hackers are clever. They are ever coming up with new sophisticated means to try and carry out those malware attacks. They will always try to look for the vulnerable spots and loopholes and take advantage of them to access your system. Software developers are always trying to come up with new software versions that address such loopholes and vulnerabilities. You should always make sure that you install the updated versions once they have been released and tested. By doing so, you will be sealing the loophole that hackers could take advantage of to carry out those malware attacks.
4. Carry Out Regular Data Backups
What happens when a virus tampers with your data files or a ransom attack holds important information that you so much need for your vital business dealings? In such a scenario, only one thing can save you- the backup file. A backup file will give you all that you had before the malware attack hit your business website. You should always carry out those regular data backups for the sake of continuity of your online business even after a successful malware attack.
5. Install a Firewall
Another way to protect yourself from those malware arracks is by installing a firewall. A firewall will protect your system against access by unauthorized parties who could have the intention of carrying out a malware attack on your system. It thus provides your system with an extra layer of security reducing the chance of a malware attack.
6. Download Software from Trusted Sources
Downloading software from unknown sources increases the chance of a malware attack. When buying a software, ensure that you buy only from trusted sources.
Conclusion
Malware attacks targeting business enterprises have increased and it could your business at risk. There are dire repercussions that awaits you when a malware attack hits you. Proper measures should be put in place to help you stay safe and avoid such attacks. It all begins with knowing what exactly a malware attack is and the forms of malware that could be a threat to your business. This article gives you an enlightenment on what malware is, the different forms of malware and how to protect yourself from malware attacks.
