Malware is one of the most problematic threats that cybercriminals can bring to bear on businesses and individuals. These nasty pieces of coding and software can lock down files, destroy data or completely corrupt machines – they make for a particularly potent weapon.
Since the digital era really took hold, we’ve seen some extremely potent examples of malware wreak havoc around the world. In this blog, we’re going to take a look at four of the worst attacks to make you aware of the serious effects and capabilities of Malware to most importantly protect your business too.
WannaCry (2017)
Big, bad and mean, WannaCry was a piece of ransomware that swept around the globe, holding Microsoft Windows users to ransom for their files and data.
What was particularly memorable about WannaCry was just how prolific it was. The malware infected around 300,000 computers, encrypting hard drives in businesses, charities and homes so that users couldn’t access crucial information. It would then demand payment in Bitcoin to release the files – a cost of anything from $300 to $600.
The worldwide attack lasted around 4 days and cost total damages in the billions of dollars. It was later asserted by international governments that the WannaCry ransomware came from North Korean sponsored hackers.
Emotet (2014)
Famous for being one of the most dangerous and destructive pieces of software to have ever graced the internet, Emotet was a trojan that cost banks, financial institutions and organisations millions of dollars around the world.
This brand of malware is particularly sneaky. On infecting a computer, Emotet infiltrates the computer’s email software and sends emails to contacts with an infected Word document – the email appears to come from an established source, making it far more likely to be opened.
Thought to have originated from Ukraine, a joint effort from international police forces brought down the servers which hosted Emotet – but not before it caused lasting financial damage.
Mydoom (2004)
The fastest spreading malware attack ever, Mydoom also holds the current record for the biggest financial damage – a whopping $38 billion dollars from Microsoft Windows machines around the globe.
An email worm, once MyDoom got into a machine, it would manipulate an opening in the computer’s network meaning it could be used remotely. Once established, MyDoom would spread to email contacts and then the infected computer would be used as part of a botnet to target certain businesses with distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks.
The origins of MyDoom are still unknown – a version of the malware reappeared in 2009 as part of a wave of attacks across South Korea and the US.
Storm Worm (2007)
In the first two decades of the internet, cybercriminals were still finding their feet and users were still vulnerable to scams that these days, might seem primitive.
One of the pieces of malware to capitalise on those early days was Storm Worm. A combination of a Trojan horse and a worm, Storm Worm took advantage of heavy storms in Europe to hide malware in attachments in a weather warning email. On clicking on the attachment, users would have exe files downloaded on their computers.
These files would steal information and deliver new versions of the original email to address lists – it was later attributed by security forces to a group of Russian hackers called the Russian Business Network.
CovidLock (2020)
One of the most insidious forms of malware is malware that plays on times of insecurity to take advantage of international anxiety.
CovidLock was one such example. Disguised as files which offered users information about the (relatively new at the time) Coronavirus. CovidLock, once opened, would lock down the victim’s device, and prevent any access to files and information. It only targeted Android devices and managed to do so by requesting administrative control, ahead of demanding a $100 ransom to avoid having the device erased or worse, having the information released publicly.
Those are some examples of malware that all cybersecurity conscious users should know about. Along with these five, there are countless other computer viruses that can cause just as much damage – and the only way to stay truly protected is to go with the professionals.
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