Understanding the 5 common Malware categories so MSPs can better protect their customers. These aren’t the monsters you heard about in camp fire stories. These monsters are after your customer’s money, personal information and resources. A large part of security is knowing the enemy. Let’s explore some of the most common malware groups and how to defend against them:

1. DESCRIPTION:
Sinks its teeth deep into your device modifying the operat-
ing system to hide itself. The goal of this malware is to
provide remote access or control of a computer without
being detected by users or security programs. It is a master
of stealth and can prevent itself from being displayed in the
list of system processes or prevent its files from being read.
These aren’t the monsters you heard about in campfire stories. These monsters are after your customer’s money,
personal information and resources. A large part of security is knowing the enemy. Let’s explore some of the most
common malware groups and how to defend against them:
UNDERSTANDING 5 COMMON MALWARE CATEGORIES
SO MSPS CAN BETTER PROTECT THEIR CUSTOMERS
root kits
CATEGORY:
DESCRIPTION:
Form of malware that holds a computer system captive
while demanding a ransom. The malware typically
restricts access by encrypting the contents of the hard
drive and displaying messages that are intended to force
the user to pay the malware creator.
ransomware
CATEGORY:
DESCRIPTION:
Exploits operating system vulnerabilities and spreads over
computer networks. Many worms are capable of creating
bot-nets out of infected computers using your CPU and
bandwidth for its own purposes such as DDoS.
TARGETS:
Money
SKILLS:
Hostage
Negotiation
DEFENSE:
Behavioral
Detection
worms
CATEGORY:
DESCRIPTION:
Prowls around for unprotected network devices and
bypasses normal authentication procedures to install
itself unknown to the user. Once this malware enters
your system it opens a back door to allow remote
access to your system leaving your data vulnerable to
remote intruders.
backdoors
how to tell if you’are infected:
security manager: av defender
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CATEGORY:
DESCRIPTION:
Standalone malware program that disguises itself as a
well-known or helpful program (such as antivirus) in
order to convince a user to install it. This malware
attempts to access financial or personal information in
order to access financial accounts or sell information to
those who would.
rogueware
CATEGORY:
THE
IN YOUR COMPUTER
lurking
monsters
TARGETS:
Information
SKILLS:
Stealth
DEFENSE:
Heuristics
Algorithms
TARGETS:
Resources
SKILLS:
Replication
DEFENSE:
Avoid Spam
TARGETS:
Information
SKILLS:
Disguise
DEFENSE:
User
Management
TARGETS:
Information
SKILLS:
Stealth
DEFENSE:
Firewall
Increased resource usage
Slow computer
Freezing or crashing
New toolbars
Modified or deleted files
Emails sent without permission
Backdoors
File infectors
Greyware
Hijacker
Ransomware
Rogueware
Root kits
Spambots
Spyware
Trojans
Worms
BEHAVIORAL DETECTION
Monitors the behavior of
programs and processes and
prevents suspicious activity.
FULL MALWARE PROTECTION
HEURISTIC ALGORITHMS
Evaluates actions rather
than files and finds malware
before it executes.
USER MANAGEMENT
Users often invite malware into
the network meaning certain
user activity must be prevented.
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