• Français
  • English

Why companies need to automate malware detection?

Worms, Trojans, and many other viruses-behind these threats lie attackers with a variety of motivation. The opportunity to profit through the theft of personal information and commercial trade secrets presents little risk to cyber attackers. Today, more than 4 million pieces of malware are detected every 15 days, according to the report 2022 from Sectigo! Attackers seem to be a step ahead. To deal with the growing threats, it is essential that companies equip themselves with efficient tools capable of countering even the most complex cyber-attacks. The solution? Adopt an effective IT security strategy that automates malware detection. Here are some explanations.

 

Cyber-attacks in companies: why is it essential to detect malware?

Hackers are very good at damaging companies’ computer systems. Malicious software can have irreparable consequences for companies.

1. Malware: multiple forms for maximum damage

Malware includes all software that is designed to harm users. Capable of taking a variety of forms, it can infect desktops and laptops, but also phones, tablets, or any device. Simply put: no device is safe from malware! How does this malware work?

  • Viruses require human intervention to be triggered, such as clicking on a link. What signs to be taken seriously may indicate a system infection? Folders that change location or are deleted, a suddenly larger amount of space on the hard disk, slowness in surfing the Internet or launching an application, etc.
  • Worms are completely autonomous software that appeared in the 1970s. With the development of the Internet, they have become increasingly dangerous: called “payloads”, some worms capable of duplicating themselves on networks, contain computer code that allows them to steal, delete, damage, or even encrypt documents.
  • RATs, or Remote Access Trojans intrude into computer systems using deception techniques. They use a “backdoor” – either a file to download, a link, an application to install or an advertisement – to take control of the targeted computer. Their ability to adapt to current themes to be attractive can have catastrophic effects: bank transfers, email spying and social network profile spoofing.
  • A real Swiss army knife for hackers, Trojan is a Trojan horse that can spread several threats by taking different forms. They are usually softwares that seem legitimate but in fact are malicious… ZeuS or Zbot is a fearsome Trojan Horse designed to steal identifiers and bank accounts.
  • Ransomware is a piece of malware that can encrypt files to extort money in exchange for a decryption key.

2. Different damages caused by malware in companies

Hacking is often in the news. One of the latest victim (August 2022) is the Southern Ile-de-France hospital centre (CHSF), in Corbeil-Essonnes, which was attacked by ransomware and saw its business software, data storage systems and information system paralysed. To lift the hospital’s paralysis, the hackers demanded a ransom payment of 10 million dollars… A massive cyber-attack that brings back bad memories! In 2019, ransomware had already paralysed more than 120 hospital centres across France, forcing numerous operations to deprogram.

Some attacks can also block the entire local network, or even stop large container ships or cargo planes that are vital to the global economy. This is what happened to the German company Hellmann Worldwide Logistics, which was forced to shut down for several days after a phishing attack.

But beyond these numbers and flashy attacks, malware is often used to steal sensitive information such as bank data, confidential information subject to intellectual property or customer databases. As a result, these attacks can have disastrous consequences for companies. Therefore, it seems essential to measure the danger and equip oneself with efficient tools to fight against cyber-attacks.

For companies, the main challenge is now to anticipate cyber-attacks and to equip themselves with effective tools to fight them efficiently. Regular awareness-raising of employees, reinforced authentication, cyber-insurance to resume activity in the event of ransomware… Despite all these initiatives, the efforts of technicians and analysts often remain fruitless and time-consuming in the face of constantly evolving cyber-attacks. The solution at present? Automation!

Which solutions automate malware detection in companies?

To protect your company against malware attacks, several solutions exist, including the use of an antivirus. Analysis of files, software, applications and connected external devices, detection and elimination of malware, spam, and other viruses… Although antivirus software seems to be effective, it has its limits! As malware is constantly evolving, it cannot combat all cyber threats. For companies, it is essential to add other layers of protection such as :

  • Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) aims to monitor endpoint security in real-time and analyse data collection. This practical solution automatically responds to threats, provided it is configured for your organisation and not sold with pre-defined rules. It automatically protects end-users, endpoints and IT assets from cyber-attacks that can bypass antivirus software. How does it work? It continuously collects data from all endpoints on the network and analyses it in real time.
  • The proxy server, simply called proxy, acts as a gateway between a computer and the Internet. Its main advantages? Hiding your IP address, filtering malicious websites and accessing geo-blocked content. Acting as a firewall, they offer a high level of privacy and provide shared network connections. But beware, proxies do not guarantee online security, anonymity, or privacy.
  • The firewall controls incoming and outgoing communications according to defined security rules. A tool that has become indispensable for reinforcing the security of a company’s networks, it integrates automation functions to save processing time, while limiting errors. Some solutions allow for continuous verification of compliance with the company’s security policy. However, these tools may have some limitations. Indeed, some firewalls that are too restrictive can influence productivity by preventing legitimate tasks from being carried out. They can also encourage using Remote Access Trojan to infect the computer system.

 

Despite their disadvantages, all these solutions used simultaneously can better protect a company. But employees still need to adopt reflexes to defend themselves against attacks! It is important to remember that one must avoid :

  • Downloading free software that you would normally have to pay for.
  • Choose passwords that are too simple.
  • Use public or unknown WIFI networks to connect to your work PC.
  • Clicking on advertisements that claim to have spotted a virus.
  • Reading emails from unknown senders, or worse, opening their attachments.
  • Go to web pages with incomprehensible URLs.

Cyber-attacks are at an all-time high and are disrupting the operations of many businesses worldwide. To protect yourself, there is no magic bullet. The solution is to combine several powerful tools on a scalable platform to increase your ability to prevent attacks. With QFlow, our customizable and scalable file analysis platform, you can get the most out of your IT security investment.

Watch our webinars

Webinar:

Elevating Malware Detection: Key Use Cases for SOCs and CERTs

Webinar:

Looking for a way to counter malware
attacks from files

Follow us