To keep away from falling sufferer to a malware an infection, customers first want to concentrate on which malware strains are actively being utilized by cybercriminals of their assaults which is why Webroot releases a listing of the nastiest malware every year.
In its third annual nastiest malware listing, the cybersecurity agency examined this yr’s largest cyber threats and ranked them primarily based on their severity.
According to Webroot, phishing and distant desktop protocol-related breaches stay the high strategies its has noticed cybercriminals utilizing to launch their assaults. However, new malware strains and techniques are being deployed every day whereas others have obtained upgrades that made them extra highly effective.
This yr the primary development the agency noticed is modularity as cybercriminals have adopted a extra modular malware methodology by which they mix assault strategies and mix-and-match techniques to make sure their assaults attain their meant targets.
Nastiest malware of 2020
Emotet has as soon as once more taken the high spot on Webroot’s listing of the nastiest malware for the third yr in a row. The malware is deployed by cybercriminals in a botnet that’s used to unfold ransomware and it usually seems alongside TrickBot, Dridex, QakBot, Ryuk, BitPaymer and REvil.
Next up on the listing is the Gozi trojan, IcedID trojan and Maze ransomware which are usually deployed collectively. In a possible assault state of affairs, Gozi might find yourself on a machine via a malicious e mail, botnet and even TrickBot after which drop the IcedID trojan to assist enhance an attacker’s possibilities of acquiring the credentials or data they need.
Just like TrickBot, Dridex is one other widespread banking/info-stealing Trojan that made Webroots’s listing this yr. It has been round for years and is dropped through Emotet or via malicious spam campaigns. Also in the same method to TrickBot, Dridex spreads laterally and sometimes deploys ransomware resembling BitPaymer/DoppelPaymer.
While these malware strains had been the nastiest this yr, they don’t seem to be the solely ones to make the listing. Other notable contenders for the nastiest malware of 2020 together with the REvil and Dharma ransomware, the multi-functional malware distribution instrument Valak and the info-stealing trojan QakBot.
To stop falling sufferer to malware, Webroot recommends organizations lock down RDP, educate their staff about phishing, set up a good safety suite, develop a catastrophe restoration plan and backup up their necessary knowledge.