FIRMWARE MALWARE: WHAT IS IT AND HOW TO PROTECT OURSELVES?

Our computers can suffer a good sort of attacks that compromise our security and privacy. It is a reality that hackers can infect devices through a good sort of methods, like fraudulent downloading, fake updates, email file during this article we are going to talk about firmware malware. We are getting to explain what it consists of and in fact what to try to avoid being victims of this problem.

Cyber-attacks come from anywhere

We have seen many types of threats. For example we will mention Trojans, keyloggers, ransomware, viruses. In a method or another they might compromise our systems, steal information, passwords and, ultimately, affect our security. Malware is extremely varied and there are really common methods present in our day to day life.

Now, how can these threats reach us? The truth is that there are some ways that our computers get infected. For example, we will open a malicious file that involves us by mail, the installation of an application that has been previously maliciously modified. Attacks can come from anywhere.

This means that we should remain alert in the least times. You always need to install the best security programs, keep your systems up so far and guarded. In addition, common sense is essential. But can we always avoid threats? This is sometimes more complicated, especially with some very specific sorts of malware.

This is the case with firmware malware. It is also known as bootkits. They are a serious problem since it doesn't directly affect the OS, so it could even support a format.

Firmware malware

This type of threat referred to as firmware malware directly affects the boot of the pc. This means that it'll act even before we start the OS, like Windows.

It is something difficult to detect. The threat remains hidden and is also persistent. It can damage the operation of the equipment, record information about it, control the configuration or certain parameters of the system. But the most dangerous of all is that it is difficult to eliminate.

There are many threats that just by opening the antivirus and analyzing it we will eliminate them. Others may be more complicated and we may even need to format the equipment. But within the case of firmware or bootkit malware it's even worse. It is ready to withstand a format and remain on the pc.

As we've indicated, it's not malicious software that directly affects Windows or whatever OS it's. This means that even formatting and reinstalling the system can remain hidden and act again.

But where is this threat then? These sorts of attacks target BIOS and UEFI firmware. It remains hidden there and this means that it has no effect to format the operating system or run an antivirus that only analyzes the files on that system

How does this threat arrive?

As we indicated at the start of the article, malware arrives in many various ways. This also happens with people who affect the firmware of the equipment. Basically what this threat does is overwrite the firmware. Therefore, a malicious update for instance could make us victims of this problem. What the attacker can do is modify the ASCII text file.

This malicious code might be sent through insecure Wi-Fi networks, like a network in an airport or shopping mall. The hacker could cash in of vulnerabilities that exist therein computer and thus deploy his attacks.

They could also even use physical devices. The most common is a USB stick that houses code capable of running malicious software and modifying firmware. For example, if we attend a store to print documents, that computer could are previously infected.

What can they are doing with these sorts of attacks?

If we specialize in how they might affect us with this sort of attacks, we must also comment that there are alternative ways for this. We can be victims of varied problems that put our security and privacy in danger.

Something that hackers can do if they sneak firmware malware onto our computer is alter its operation. They can design major changes that affect performance, limit the utilization of hardware, features, and more.

They could also use it to steal information. We already know that our personal data has great value on internet. They can use this sort of method to gather personal data and include us in spam campaigns or sell it to 3rd parties.

But they might also just spy on us and await the proper moment. We have indicated that this sort of attack is extremely silent, it can remain for an extended time without giving signals. They could get on the prowl spying on the victim until it's time to act.

How to avoid firmware attacks?

After having informed about what firmware malware is, how it works and what an attacker could do, the most important thing remains: give some tips to protect ourselves. Basically the measures are an equivalent on defend against the other cyber-attack.

Keep computers protected

Something fundamental which will not be missing at any time is to stay our equipment properly protected. There are many threats which will affect us, as we've seen. We aren't only talking about malware that affects firmware, but many other varieties.

Therefore, our first advice is to use an honest antivirus and other tools like a firewall to guard systems. This is the primary security barrier that we will have.

Update only from official sources

This is very important to prevent firmware problems. On many occasions, users download updates from anywhere. This could be a drag, since we don't know if it could are maliciously modified so as to spy on us or affect its proper functioning.

Beware of insecure networks

Of course we must even be careful with the Wi-Fi networks to which we connect. We’ve seen that it's another of the methods employed by cybercriminals to sneak these sorts of threats. We should remember that hackers could even be lurking within the open network we hook up with.

Analyze the hardware we insert

Are we getting to put a pen drive that we've used before during a public computer, for example? It’s convenient to research it and thus avoid having some sort of inserted malware that would affect our device. For this we will calculate security programs and even other operating systems.

Common sense

The sense is another point to stay in mind. Most attacks would require user interaction. They’re going to need us to form some quite mistake like downloading a malicious file, opening a dangerous link, etc.

So here are some things to stay in mind about firmware malware. We’ve seen that it's a threat which will seriously compromise our security and privacy and that we must be protected in the least times.

To know more about the security, you can read here about it.