A 7-Step Guide to Tackling the Malware Menace
“As long as the original version of a product exists, there will always be a counterfeit”
A software is a program used to operate systems and execute specific tasks, it simply tells the system what to do, how to do and when to do. It is an integral part of a computer, as without it, little can be achieved.
However, a software, when created by a person with malicious intent, is very harmful to any system it gets into, because it carries out the instructions programmed into it by its creator. Hence, earning it its universal name, Malware, meaning Malicious Software. There are multiple types of malware, created to carry out specific tasks which suit the creator’s motive e.g Trojans, viruses and worms.
Inspired by the article written about Marcus Hutchins by a renowned tech journalist, Andy Greenberg, which you can read here. I compiled ways by which one can minimize the chances of being a victim of malicious software activity.
Sometimes, one might not know when malware gets into the system, nor be aware of its activities. However, with these rules in place, the malware menace can be curtailed to a certain extent.
A Paid Antivirus Program
There’s quite a number of really good free antivirus software out there, but with the rate at which technology evolves, it’s in your best interest to actually pay for an antivirus software. A paid version offers much more than the free version, in the sense that your system protection actually becomes a priority for the company.
“ Beggars can’t be choosers”
Remember the proverb ?, that’s what it seems like when running a free version of an antivirus program.
A paid version gives one a sort of leverage because it offers more robust features such as password managers, multiple device access, anti-phishing etc. You also gain access to real-time customer support in case something goes wrong, rather than being left at the mercy of the FAQ section. Examples of top antivirus programs include Norton , Bitdefender , Kaspersky and Avast.
Update Antivirus Automatically
Attacks are dynamic and evolve with time, which means vulnerability will constantly be discovered. However, these vulnerabilities are patched as soon as possible by security experts to mitigate exploitation. This patch comes in form of an ‘update’ to customers, hence, the need for customers to always update their antivirus software. Vulnerabilities are known to be exploited as soon as they’re announced, so stalling on a security update can be counter-productive.
Activate Firewall
There’s an antivirus installed!, even paid for!, so who needs a firewall?!
Well, for efficient security, both are equally important. The antivirus and firewall are different, but work together for full protection. The former deals with well-known threats such as Trojans, while the latter simply stops unauthorized access to your network. A great analogy of this is the difference between the police force and the military. The police force, like the antivirus, combats threats within a nation, whereas the firewall, like the military responds to external threats.
A firewall provides network-level security, it monitors every packet going in and out of a network, and stops any deemed malicious or harmful to the system. Examples include Bitdefender Total Security, Norton 360 Deluxe, Avast Premium Security, Comodo. For hardware firewall, Fortinet is recommended.
Restrict Removable Media
In simple terms, removable media is a form of computer storage that is designed to be inserted and removed from a system. It’s a portable storage medium where data can be copied to and vice versa. Examples include USB drives, memory cards and smartphones.
Built for a host of advantages with a general aim to make work less stressful and faster, this is also being used to propagate malware. Certain programs are configured to self-activate upon insertion into a new device, hence, the importance of restricting removable media. Sometimes, an attacker deliberately leaves a USB drive in an open area, relying on human curiosity to insert it into a system, which instantly gives that individual remote access to the system to do as they please. It is advisable to disable auto-run on a system, desist from inserting random drives in, and for total restriction, disable the ports.
Scan System Routinely
Sometimes, against all odds, malware can make its way into the system. A lapse in security awareness or a delay in security update can be all it takes to have a malware conveniently lodge in your system, hence, the importance of performing a full system scan routinely, maybe during sleep hours. These consistent scans make the system environment unsuitable for malware.
Scan Incoming Documents Before Download
Most of the time, we get mails from family, friends, colleagues and even total strangers, for different reasons. Sometimes, these mails come with files that need to be downloaded to the system, and this is a vulnerability. A file sent through mail automatically bypasses the firewall, instantly leaving your system at risk of a malware infection. An intelligent security measure to curb this is to perform a scan on every file before it is downloaded to the system. The steps to carry out these scans are:
- Right-click on the file and select ‘copy link location’
- Paste the link in VirusTotal and scan
The site then confirms if the file contains malware or not. Regardless of who sends such mail, be it a loved partner or family member, make it a culture to scan everything before download. To make it faster and easier, integrate the VirusTotal extension into your browser. That way, you can just right-click on any link you wish to scan and select ‘check with VirusTotal’.
Backup Always
Having been a victim of a malware attack myself, i cannot overemphasize the importance of a backup. It is the last line of defense in a system and should be carried out routinely. A backup is essential in case things go awry in a system, because it gives you a second chance to get things right.
A backup is simply a copy of your computer data, stored away in case of an unforeseen event which harms or corrupts the original data. A malware is capable of doing exactly that. In fact, it is advisable to backup your backup, that way, you feel secure knowing that there are multiple copies of your computer data stored away securely.
There are different ways to backup, such as local backup which is through the use of a portable hard drive, cloud backup which lets you store data in a server in a remote location or a backup software.
I’ll love to reiterate that there’s nothing like foolproof security, but with these measures in place, it greatly reduces your chances of being a victim of malicious software activity. Attackers generally go for low-hanging fruit, unless you’ve successfully pissed one off or you hold a significant position somewhere in the world which in that case, involves spear phishing, chances are, your data is quite secure.
