How to Recognize Malware from Various Sources and Avoid them

For as long as computers have existed, there’s been malware. Wused to just call it a “computer virus,” but with how diverse malware has become, that hardly seems comprehensive enough.

What’s also changed is how and where you acquire malware. 

 

Despite that, there are still a few very simple ways to avoid getting infected. Learning to recognize malware is the first step in avoiding it.

 

Things to Look For

Malware is almost always in disguise as something else. Only in the movies do you get files named “virus.exe.” More likely, you’ll run into things like images disguised as text. This is a popular way to redirect visitors on a safe website to an unsafe page.

Typically, text that appears to be a hyperlink or search field will actually be part of a larger picture that leads to the dangerous page. Supposing that happens, the next thing is recognizing a real webpage from a phishing site.

Look for the webpage’s URL at the top of your browser. Note what comes before the .com, .net, or other page designation, as that is the domain (designations before that are just subdomains). Also be sure the correct ending is there (.net is different from .com). For instance:

• Facebook.com vs Facebook.home.com
• Businessname.slack.com vs slack.business.com
• Usf.com (Orlando studios) vs. usf.edu (school website)

Scammers like to try and create convincing URLs to fool you into believing you’re actually on the real, safe website. Reading the address carefully can help end their façade and keep you from handing over information or downloading malware.

Unsecured WiFi

Besides recognizing dangerous websites or hyperlinks, you also need to understand the dangers of physical locations as well. One of the most common places for people to get hacked or receive malware isn’t at any website; it’s on public WiFi!

Connecting to the café’s unsecured internet can pose major risks. The best way to mitigate those risks is through the use of a Virtual Private Network (VPN). By connecting to a VPN’s remote server, you can encrypt your internet connection and prevent hackers from inserting malware into your device.

Yet with so many VPNs out there, it can be hard to narrow down the market to the best one for you. We recommend this guide by Secure Thoughts on the best VPNs for privacy as a good way to start.

Beware of Stolen Accounts

One of the more insidious ways that cybercriminals spread malware is through accounts they’ve already infiltrated. Taking over someone’s email account frequently results in dozens of emails containing dangerous files or hyperlinks sent to everyone on the victim’s contacts list.

The same happens on social media. What you need to be looking for is strange or unusual behavior. Would that person normally send you files? Are they talking in the same way they always do? Ask yourself these questions and if you’re not sure, try to contact the person outside of the service (such as with a phone call) to ensure they haven’t been hacked.

Stick With Stores

As tempting as it can be to download things for free or from third party websites, it’s often considerably safer to use one of the first party stores, such as the App Store or the Google Play Store. Even if you’re using Bluestacks to install apps on your PC, you’ll still want to get them straight from the source.

In terms of mobile devices, most malware is actually acquired from these outside downloads because they can’t be vetted by larger companies. And while anti-malware software works fairly well for traditional computers, it actually doesn’t do a very great job on mobile devices because of how the operating system functions.

Stay Current

More than anything else, stay on top of the latest trends. Be aware of new types of malware as they come out and keep your software updated so that security vulnerabilities don’t become the source of your malware.

Learn from the mistakes of people you know. Chances are you know someone that’s had a virus or been hacked. Ask them what precipitated it and learn from their experiences.

Will you be ready when malware strikes? Tell us what you’re doing to stay safe and prepare below.

About the Author: Cassie is a technology writer and cybersecurity specialist. She blogs regularly, with a focus on helping users identify threats before they become problems too severe to contain.