Malware Detection

Malware (malicious software) is the name given to any software or code installed on your systems without permission and performs operations without your knowledge.

Some vulnerabilities may result in access to the system resources (file system access, operation system access, application files access, etc.). After the access, cyber attackers can place malicious code fragments in the target systems.

Malware detection is a critical scan category. An active malware running on your systems causes data and reputation losses. In addition, due to malicious software running on web applications, many search engines and browsers may block access to your website to ensure end-user security.
Harmful pieces of code can do different things depending on the user privilege and the environment in which it runs.

For example, suppose malicious JavaScript code runs in the critical pages, such as pages receiving payment by credit card or users logging in. In that case, all critical data (credit cards info, passwords) may be sent to the attacker's server using malicious javascript code.

Also, suppose crypto-mining malware (a few lines of javascript code) is placed on your application. In that case, the hardware resources of everyone using your application can work for the attacker to obtain financial gain.

If there is malware on the server, cyber attackers perform many harmful operations. It may also have left many backdoors to your servers and applications running on the server.

In the circumstances that malware is detected, the following topics should be taken into consideration (precedence of the case might change to vulnerability state and application's specifications).
Removing the malware itself is not a solution. It is necessary to fix the vulnerability by understanding how the malware is infected. When only malicious codes are removed from the system, the malware infects the system again most of the time.
Risk analysis should be performed by examining the activities made by the malware (at this stage, malware analysis may be required to understand what the malware is exactly doing).
You should fulfill your responsibilities in accordance with the regulations of the country you are in, especially if PII or critical data is suspected to be leaked.
Necessary controls should be carried out to detect all areas infected with malicious software.
Backups should be checked if there are any. Malware can also be found in backups.
After malware removing processes and clean installations, necessary hardening, logging, and monitoring operations should be performed on applications and services.

Do not forget these

Keep your operating system and software up to date: Software updates often contain security patches that can protect against known malware threats. Make sure to install updates as soon as they are available.
Backup of essential files regularly: In case of a malware attack, having backups of your important files can prevent data loss. Store backups on an external hard drive or cloud storage.

The Top 8 Malware (Backdoor) Scanning Tools

The Top 8 malware (backdoor) scanning tools that is used by our members:

Get started to protecting your Free Full Security Scan

Start trial See the plans