Il rogueware it’s a infected software which looks like a harmless program. If not even as an antivirus. It is therefore a particularly dangerous malwarewhich not surprisingly deceives both users and systems.
The most important advice to follow to learn how to protect yourself from malwareconcerns the culture from the IT security. A set of good rules, lower the chances of run into pirated software or potentially suspicious. And, consequently, reduce the risk of exposure to threats unwanted.
What are rogueware
I rogueware they fall into the larger family of malware: generating malicious programs more or less serious damage to the devices of the user. Specifically, rogueware does not target a malfunction as an end in itself of a computer rather than a smartphone.
Their goal is undermine the systemsto get to valuable information of various kinds: starting from corporate datauntil reaching credentials not password of a single user.
L’most distinctive and dangerous element of rogueware lies in the fact that, on the surface, it seems anything but infected software. It is no coincidence that rogueware are also known as FraudToolthat is to say fraud tools.
Rogueware is malware that masquerades as harmless programs. And that point to the user’s sensitive information
In fact, this type of malware tricks the user into installing it, presenting itself for what it is not. And rogueware, at first glance, they look like software absolutely harmless.
Think in this sense about Rogue AVone of the most famous rogueware ever, which paradoxically he passes himself off for an antivirus. But not only. Once installed, the Rogue-AVs even pretend to run a scan e di locate compromised files. A beautiful and good staging, which directs the user to perform a specific action.
Rogue-AV fraud consists precisely in pushing the user to purchase a paid version of the program: the only one, according to the attackers, capable of resolve problems highlighted.
In fact the only goal of rogueware is obtain credit card information of the victim. Which, needless to say, actually doesn’t acquire anything.
Why rogueware is dangerous
The nature of has been explained in the previous paragraphs pirated software of rogueware: programs that they imitate other programsto deceive the user.
The first danger element of rogueware is that more often than not they copy software perfectly that they are emulating. Both in terms of look and feelwhich in terms of functionality.
The same goes for fake advertisements that promote them. An inattentive user therefore runs the real risk of download roguewareconvinced that they have contributed to the IT security of their device.
Once installed, rogueware usually starts spawning false security alerts. The methods vary from case to case, but the gist of the message is almost always the same: the device And infected and you need to perform a upgrade for payment software to solve the problem.
Sometimes the message then proceeds hand in hand with more or less serious limitations of the use of the device: from blocking the navigationthe inability to access programs o resources specifications.
Rogueware is particularly dangerous because it is often not detected by users or antivirus software
There is another reason why rogueware is considered among the most dangerous viruses of this historical moment: even today defense systems advanced ones turn out to be rather ineffective in their identification preventive.
The reasons behind these limitations are multiple. On the one hand, rogueware falls into the so-called malware with no known signature. This assumption makes them difficult to identify by people antivirus standardeven if updated.
Not to mention the fact that some hacker I’m able to modify the code of their infected software every time it is executed. You hate disguise it through techniques encryption to this.
There is another aspect to consider: rogueware executes actions Thatapparently they cannot be defined as malicious from computers. This assumption allows them to even pass the checks of some advanced protection systemsbased on heuristic behaviors.
How to protect yourself from rogueware
The main dangerous element of rogueware it is, after all, the same as many scams social engineering. In fact, these are malicious programs that manage to gain the user’s trust.
Luckily this is also the element that gives people theopportunity to defend themselves. And the first thing to do is improve your culture on the issues and critical issues of IT security.
Thanks to culture, a user can defend yourself from a threat even if it is not detected or blocked by antivirus. It is therefore an instrument with superior potential to those of any machinery.
To protect yourself from rogueware, you must first improve your cybersecurity culture
Right, update programs and systems it is very important to lower the risk level. But even the most hi-tech companies now focus on a multilevel approach: on the one hand the monitoring hardware and software, on the other training of the staff.
From a technology perspective, it is definitely advisable to install a antivirus with heuristic recognition and sandbox. From a personal point of view, there are different good behavioral norms to keep in mind.
In principle, it is advisable to minimize the downloading potentially dangerous programs. Think in this sense of pirated software, but also of software coming from unknown or unreliable pages.
Likewise it would be appropriate avoid clicking on links, banners or attachments suspicious. Especially if they come from unknown senders: both in the email inbox and in the DMs on social media.
To know more: Malware: what they are, how they work and how to defend yourself