Breaking Down The Top Malware of 2021 - Agile Blue

Malware, short for malicious software, is an intrusive software that is designed and created by cybercriminals to steal, damage and destroy computers and computer systems. The common terms you see and hear often such as, worms, Trojan viruses, spyware, adware and ransomware, are examples of different types of malware.

Over the last year, malware has disrupted many organizations. A malware attack on small and mid-sized businesses is a scary thought. Private data is stolen and locked away with the intent to leak the data in the most damaging way if a ransom settlement cannot be met.

With the help of Webroot, we have compiled a list of the worst malware of 2021 that AgileBlue is monitoring for.

REvil
- Russian-based private Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) operation offered to other cybercriminals
- Known for some of the largest supply chain attacks
Conti
- Longstanding Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS) group also known as Ryuk
- Known to leak or auction off data if victims don’t pay the ransom
Lemonduck
- A persistent botnet with cryptomining payload
- Known to remove competing malware to ensure they are the only infection
- Infects through email, brute force, and exploits
Trickbot
- A banking credential theft Trojan virus, however, has evolved into a modular malware enterprise
- Proliferated through spam emails and using fake Adobe Flash Player updates
Dridex
- Specializes in stealing bank credentials via a system that utilizes macros from MS Word
- Hides malicious coding within seemingly harmless data
Cobalt Strike
- White hat designed penetration testing tool that has been corrupted
- Allows an attacker to deploy an agent named ‘Beacon’ on a victim’s machine

It’s important to keep your organization safe from all types of malwares. The average cost for ransom for small to mid-sized businesses is averaged at $50,000. Cybercriminals are only getting smarter and more sophisticated. You may ask yourself, how do these attacks keep happening? Phishing is the number cause for these attacks to be successful. This highlights the importance of cyber education within any organization. The key to staying safe is layering your approach to cybersecurity while implementing a cyber strategy. Additionally, you should lock down your Remote Desktop Protocols (RDP). If you haven’t done so already, your organization should have a remediation plan in place. Lastly and most importantly, you should partner with a reputable cybersecurity organization. AgileBlue is a 24/7 Security Operations Center as a Service (SOCaaS) platform that is proven to detect and monitor for all malware.

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