What are Computer Viruses?
A computer virus is a program that are intentionally created to badly affect computer system. If virus will install in computer system it can start malfunctioning or stop working or theft your important data.
Cybercriminals are persistent and always keep trying to hack your computer or phone to steal your most valuable data — including bank details, personal photos, and sensitive ID card information. This is why you must have a working antivirus installed on your PC, Mac, Android, or iPhone.
Every day new computer viruses are created to annoy us and to crash computer systems. Below are some viruses currently cited as being the most prevalent in terms of being seen the most or in their ability to potentially cause damage.
New viruses are created daily. This is by no means an all-inclusive list. The best thing you can do is to remain vigilant, keep your anti-virus software updated, and stay aware of the current computer virus threats.
10 Most Dangerous Virus & Malware Threats in 2022
1. Clop Ransomware
Ransomware is malware which encrypts your files until you pay a ransom(money) to the hackers. “Clop” is one of the latest and most dangerous ransomware threats. It’s a variant of the well-known CryptoMix ransomware, which frequently targets Windows users.
Initially, the Clop ransomware blocks around 600 Windows processes and disables multiple Windows 10 applications, including Windows Defender and Microsoft Security Essentials — leaving you with zero chance of protecting your data.
Even the Maastricht University in the Netherlands became a victim of the Clop ransomware, with almost all Windows devices on the university’s network being encrypted and forced to pay a ransom(money). The Clop ransomware now targeting entire networks not just individual devices.
2. Fake Windows Updates (Hidden Ransomware)
Hackers finding new tricks and they have been increasingly sending emails that look like windows update and that email instruct readers to install urgent Windows OS updates. The emails trick readers into installing the “latest” Windows updates, which are actually ransomware ‘.exe’ files in disguise.
The ransomware contained in these emails is known as “Cyborg”. It encrypts all of your files and programs and demands a ransom payment to un-encrypt the files.
Unfortunately, many email service providers and basic antivirus software aren’t able to detect and block these emails. This is why you must be using an antivirus that provides proper internet security, protecting you from dangerous emails.
3. Zeus Gameover
Zeus Gameover is part of the “Zeus” family of malware and viruses. This piece of malware is a Trojan — that accesses your sensitive bank account details and steals all of your funds.
Gameover Zeus is a peer-to-peer botnet based on components from the earlier ZeuS trojan.
Scammers control and monitor Gameover ZeuS via command and control (C&C) servers.
The virus establishes the connection to the server as soon as its malicious executable installs on the computer, at which point it can disable certain system processes, download and launch executables, or delete essential system files, making the system unusable.
4. RaaS
“RaaS” — also known as “Ransomware as a Service” — is a growing industry in the underground hacker community. People without the knowledge to carry out a sophisticated ransomware attack can pay to hire a professional hacker or team of hackers to perform the attack for them.
The growth of the underground RaaS industry is worrying, as it shows how easy it is to infect people with ransomware.
Ransomware as a service (RaaS) is a subscription-based model that enables affiliates to use already-developed ransomware tools to execute ransomware attacks.
5. News Malware Attacks
Mostly Cybercriminals use current news stories and global events to target people with malware. One example is hackers using the wave of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) outbreak to target individuals with malware.
Hackers send out emails that are disguised as legitimate information about the outbreak. Readers are prompted to click a link to learn more about the information, but the link contains malware that copies the files on your device and steals your personal information.
6. Fleeceware
Fleeceware is a type of malware mobile application that come with hidden, subscription fees. These applications also take advantage of users who do not know how to cancel a subscription to keep charging them long after they have deleted the application
Fleeceware continues to charge app users large amounts of money despite users deleting those apps. Recent research has found that over 600 million Android users have downloaded “Fleeceware” onto their device in the past few years.
Although Fleeceware doesn’t pose a considerable security threat to a user’s device and data, it’s still very common, and it’s a shady practice by app developers wanting to cash in on unsuspecting users.
8. Social Engineering
Humans are possibly the weakest link in any security protocol. This is why cybercriminals are now turning to human psychology and deception to try and gain access to personal information.
The hacker will start by contacting a company or service provider and pretend to be a specific person. They’ll ask questions regarding the victim’s account and trick the customer support team into handing over pieces of sensitive information. Then, they’ll exploit that information to gain access to a person’s account and data, including payment details.
Although this isn’t a type of malware, social engineering is an alarming trend, as it doesn’t require hackers to know about coding or malware development. Instead, all the attacker needs are to be convincing and allow human error and complacency to reward them with the data they need.
9. Cryptojacking
Cryptojacking malware is designed to use a person’s computing power to help “mine” cryptocurrencies, such as Bitcoin. Mining requires a huge amount of computing power to generate new crypto coins, which is why hackers are attempting to install cryptojacking malware on computers and mobile devices to help with the mining process — slowing down the user’s device considerably.
10. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Attacks
As more tools become available to developers who want to program AI scripts and software, hackers will be able to use this same technology to carry out devastating cyberattacks.
Although cybersecurity companies are using artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms to help combat malware, these technologies can also be exploited to hack devices and networks on a massive scale.
Cyberattacks can often cost cybercriminals a lot in terms of time and resources. So, with the expansion of AI and machine learning technologies, we can only expect hackers to develop highly-advanced and destructive AI-based malware in 2022 and beyond.
