Malicious Code: Types, Dangers, and Defences
The term “malicious code” applies to any type of code that’s made to harm your system, company, or both. Viruses, worms, backdoors, and scripts all fall into this category.
What can malicious code do?
Code makes digital tools work. Malicious code, on the other hand, can make almost anything break.
Once malicious code is deployed within your system, it can spread to other devices, slow down your servers, send data back to a hacker, delete critical information, and more.
A hacker might use code like this to:
- Steal. Sensitive information, such as bank account data or sensitive passwords, could be worth a lot to a hacker.
- Harm. A hacker could use code like this to retaliate for some kind of perceived slight, such as an unexpected firing.
- Play. Some hackers simply enjoy messing with companies and individuals.
Infection can be a serious issue. For example, the WannaCry ransomware worm is a form of malicious code. It spread rapidly in 2017, and victims were prompted to send hackers a fee to make the problem stop.
A few other examples of malicious code include:
Malicious code can also culminate in a backdoor. Essentially, the hacker leaves a spot open and unprotected. A secondary hacker could sneak into that gap and cause yet more harm. Or the original hacker could come back and use that vulnerability later.
Known malicious code infection vectors
No one wants to pick up something that could cause their company harm. But unfortunately, it's easy to get infected.