How does malware spread?

There are a number of ways that malware can spread from one computer to another. Some of the most common methods include:

Email attachments – One of the most common ways for malware to spread is via email attachments. This is often done by criminals sending out mass emails with malware-infected attachments in the hopes that at least some of the recipients will open the attachment and infect their computer.

Social media – Similar to email attachments, malware can also spread via social media. This often happens when users click on malicious links that lead to infected websites. Once on the site, the user’s computer may be infected with malware simply by visiting the site.

Peer-to-peer file sharing – Another common way for malware to spread is via peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing. This is often done by downloading infected files from P2P networks.

USB drives – One of the most common ways to physically spread malware is via USB drives. This often happens when users insert an infected USB drive into their computer, which then automatically runs any malicious files on the drive.

External hard drives – Similar to USB drives, external hard drives can also spread malware. This is often done when an external hard drive is infected with malware and then plugged into another computer.

Network shares – Another way that malware can spread is via network shares. This often happens when an infected computer is connected to a network and shares files with other computers on the network.

Malware can also spread in a number of other ways, such as via malicious websites, infected software downloads, and more.

What is ransomware?

Ransomware is a type of malware that targets computers and other devices in order to encrypt the user’s data and demand a ransom in order to decrypt it. This type of attack is usually carried out by sending an email with an attachment or providing a link that, once clicked, will infect the device with the malware. Ransomware can also be installed on a device through infected websites or through drive-by-downloads, where the user unknowingly downloads the malware while visiting an infected site.

We used malwarezero.org to write this article about malware. Click here to learn more.