{"id":69590,"date":"2023-03-01T16:29:07","date_gmt":"2023-03-02T00:29:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/securingtomorrow.mcafee.com\/?p=69590"},"modified":"2024-04-11T09:30:09","modified_gmt":"2024-04-11T16:30:09","slug":"malware-5-tips-fighting-malicious-software","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/privacy-identity-protection\/malware-5-tips-fighting-malicious-software\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Prevent Downloading Malicious Software"},"content":{"rendered":"

Malware\u2014the term seems to be at the center of the news every day, with each headline telling of a new way the cyber threat has inserted itself into our lives. From an entire attack campaign on banks worldwide,<\/a> to a strain residing within medical devices<\/a>, to a variant that has learned to self-heal<\/a>, the list of malware-based attacks goes on. And as they do, it\u2019s becoming more and more clear that today\u2019s malware has not only become adaptive, but has learned how to spread its wings further than before, to devices beyond laptops and phones, and in a way that creates a longevity behind each cyberattack it spearheads.<\/p>\n

However, though it is important to understand the many forms that malware, or malicious software,\u00a0takes, it\u2019s crucial to first and foremost grasp what it is.<\/p>\n

What is Malware?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The abbreviated term for malicious software, \u201cmalware,\u201d is a generic term used to describe any type of software or code specifically designed to exploit a computer\/mobile device or the data it contains, without consent. Most malware is designed to have some financial gain for the cybercriminal, as crooks typically use it to extract data that they can leverage over victims. That information can range anywhere from financial data, to healthcare records, to personal emails and passwords\u2014the possibilities of what sort of information can be compromised have become endless.<\/p>\n

How Malware Spreads<\/strong><\/h2>\n

So how exactly can these cybercriminals get their hands on so much data? Since its birth over 30 years ago, malware has found a variety of vessels to help it enact attacks. This includes email attachments, malicious advertisements on popular sites (malvertising), fake software installations, USB drives, infected apps, phishing emails, and even text messages.<\/p>\n

Types of Malware <\/strong><\/h2>\n

Now, these are just a few of the ways malicious software can be delivered\u2013but there are also different kinds of malware itself. To name a few:<\/p>\n