How to Spot Malware
Malware is a term that covers any computer program that cyber-attackers use to steal, corrupt or infect your systems and devices. These threats may take the form of viruses, worms, Trojan horses, spyware, ransomware and more. Common symptoms include a device that runs slowly, crashes frequently or displays error messages. Others are more subtle, such as a mysteriously fast-draining battery, excessive data usage or unexpected pop-ups and programs.
The most dangerous malware attacks involve stealing sensitive information from your system. This can include login credentials, credit card numbers or passwords. Attackers can then use this data to hijack online accounts and send messages on your behalf. Some types of malware even have a built-in microphone, which can record your voice or audio and send it to the attacker.
Some types of malware hide from detection by deploying evasion techniques. These methods include time delays, memory dumping, fingerprinting and device emulation, which allows the malware to lie dormant for a while before launching on the right system configurations.
Firewalls and security information and event management (SIEM) platforms can help thwart these evasion techniques. SIEMs centralize alerts from various internal security tools and flag anomalies to make it easier to spot the signs of malware.
A factory reset can also remove many kinds of malware infections. However, this method can result in the loss of any files or apps that weren’t backed up before the factory reset. If you’re worried about malware, consider contacting an IT professional to run a full scan and install the latest software updates. They can also disconnect the system from the Internet to prevent advanced malware from communicating with its command and control servers.