Before you download, check that file! These are the file types hackers love most
If you follow reports from komando.com, you already know that cybercriminals frequently use malicious emails and text messages to infect victims’ devices with malware. The infection often comes from clicking on a Word document or PDF included in the email.
They sometimes use PNG files. Tap or click here to see how they do it. But a new report shows that malware is being delivered in clever new ways that make it more challenging to spot.
Keep reading to find out how criminals target your devices with malware and how to protect against it.
Here’s the backstory
Word documents, spreadsheets and text files are commonly used by hackers to inject malware into your devices. They send these malicious items through email or text messages. But a new Threat Intelligence report from HP Wolf Security suggests hackers have a new trick up their sleeves.
Criminals are increasingly using archivable file types such as ZIP or RAR files. These formats commonly compress larger, legitimate files into smaller single files. To access the content, the file must be extracted.
“Archives are attractive to threat actors because they are easily encrypted, making them difficult for web proxies, sandboxes and email scanners to detect malware,” HP explains in the report.
It goes on to say that many companies use encrypted archives for legitimate reasons, making it challenging to reject encrypted archive email attachments. This puts the company at risk of data breaches and information fraud.
The use of ZIP and RAR increased by more than 10% over the last year. It now makes up 44% of all malware delivery systems. The use of executable files also increased by almost 10%, while PDF files stacked with malware dropped to only 2% of all instances.
What you can do about it
Not all ZIP or RAR files are malicious. But you do need to be careful with any file sent to you through unsolicited text or email. No matter what type of file is included in a message, it could be an avenue of infection.
There are some ways to protect against malware infection. Follow these suggestions:
Kim's free security pick that needs to be on all your devices
Cybercrime, data breaches and internet attacks are on the rise. Between sophisticated new tools and the global pandemic, numbers are off the charts.
Some of the more popular schemes used by cybercriminals are phishing attacks, website misdirections and cloned sites. They often build real-looking websites that copy a legitimate brand or service’s official site to fool you into giving out your personal data, credentials and financial information.