Malware Protection - How Does It Work?

How Does Malware Protection Work?

Because of the variety of strains of malware, malware protection systems need to take several perspectives into account when assessing a file or code’s legitimacy.

To achieve this, modern software assesses file behavior across five different axes.

#1. Threat Intelligence

Threat intelligence involves gathering data on global malware trends to enable faster responses to attacks.

Sharing this intelligence with global malware protection platforms helps organizations stay updated on the latest threats that have been circulating. This allows for entire industries to remain ahead of attackers, as Tactics Techniques and Procedures (TTPs) are packaged into recognizable signatures that can then be identified by threat intelligence-driven tools.

This signature-based approach defends against the more common and replicable malware strains like infostealers and basic ransomware.

#2. Network Protection

Given malware’s reliance on breaching sensitive networks, malware protection needs to be able to identify malicious traffic and stop it at its source.

Many malware types leave noticeable footprints across a network they’re targeting.

• The ongoing communication between a trojan and its creators can create noticeable spikes in network activity.
• Ransomware attacks and spyware exfiltrate data out of an organization’s own network, and repeatedly establish a connection with their respective Command and Control (C2) servers.

That’s not the only way that network traffic monitoring can unveil malicious behavior.

Early-stage attacks can take the form of port scans coming from inside your network – this is one way that attackers move laterally while on the hunt for the ideal database or vulnerability to target. And it’s not uncommon for attackers to create a backdoored account that lets them return at a later time.

This manifests as the creation of new, privileged accounts within the network.

When monitoring this suspicious network activity, malware protection should also take immediate action to shut it down – this is where close interreliance on a firewall can stop suspect behavior before malware is deployed.

#3. Endpoint Protection

While a network perspective is vital, it’s worth noting that endpoint devices are often the initial infection vector in attacks. This is why malware protection also needs to routinely scan endpoints for malware and suspicious activity – and forms the basis of Endpoint Detection and Response tools.

For the resource-heavy strains of malware, infection can be very obvious:

• A sudden decrease in system speed
• Delayed startup times
• Slow file access
• Sluggish application performance

All of these can indicate an ongoing malware infection. Worms are particularly greedy, often using up considerable computing power when repeatedly replicating themselves.

#4. File Analysis

Sandboxing is one way that malware protection verifies a file’s legitimacy. Here’s how it works:

1. Before a new file is downloaded onto an enterprise device, it is sent to a sandbox – a secure, isolated space that mimics the operating system and hardware of a real endpoint. Here, the file is executed as normal.
2. The tool then monitors the file’s behavior to check for suspicious actions, such as attempts to modify system files, create network connections, or inject malicious code.
3. Any unusual system calls lead to the file being flagged as malware, and quarantined.

While traditional sandboxing was intensely resource-demanding, newer approaches have made it more available to smaller organizations, thanks to the higher compute power of providers’ analysis engines.

Now, files with concerning code can have the malicious chunks snipped out – a content disarm and reconstruction.

#5. Behavioral analysis

While file analysis aims to establish the malicious actions of a piece of malware, behavioral analysis seeks to establish a baseline of normal behavior across trusted networks, devices, and users. It’s a critical piece of the malware protection puzzle, as account behavior is one of the clearest indicators of attack.

By building a picture of a typical user journey, machine-learning algorithms are able to notice when account behavior becomes erratic or begins accessing resources and databases not usually seen in day-to-day use.

By integrating with the wider suite of malware protection tools, behavioral analysis allows for the discovery of brand-new zero days and account takeover attacks: representing a step above and beyond signature-based identification.

5 Malware Protection Best Practices

Safeguarding systems against malware demands ongoing commitment.

Thankfully, even relatively small amounts of prevention can go a long way to keeping attackers at bay. The best malware protection is multi-layered combinations of threat prevention and ongoing vigilance.

#1: Establish a Strong Baseline

Begin by installing reputable antivirus and anti-malware software across all endpoint devices; ensure these tools are updated regularly to recognize the latest threats.

#2: Keep on Top of Patch Management

Applying software patches promptly is key to removing vulnerabilities in operating systems and applications; these are otherwise common entry points for malware.

#3: Invest in End-User Training

Training sessions let employees understand the risks associated with their day-to-day browsing habits and activities. Phishing, suspicious links, and unknown downloads can all be blocked at a network’s perimeter if a user recognizes them successfully.

#4: Implement Network Segmentation and Strong Access Controls

Network segmentation creates internal barriers within the network, making it harder for malware to spread if it does gain entry. These access controls funnel users into the specific resources they’ll need day-to-day; a form of segmentation that can be implemented across wider networks.

Supporting the wider process of malware prevention should be a strict set of user access controls, reinforced by Multi-Factor Authentication – these limit user privileges to only genuine users.

#5: Monitor Continuously and Create Regular Backups

Regularly backing up data and storing it separately from the main network ensures critical information can be restored in case of an attack.

Plus, continuous monitoring allows for quick detection and response to unusual activity.