When we browse the Internet we can come across many types of threats. There are varieties of malware responsible for stealing information, encrypting files, spying on us… They can even delete everything on our computer and lose all the data. In this article we are going to focus on how a wiper, a threat that can be even worse than ransomware. We will also give tips to avoid being a victim.
How does a wiper work?
A wiper is considered by many to be the worst possible malware. It is true that a ransomware can be just as tragic, since what it does is encrypt all files and even the system itself and make it totally inaccessible. However, in this case there is always the possibility (although sometimes not) to pay a ransom and get it back or to use available decryptors.
Instead, what a wiper does is directly erase all data. For example, you can completely empty an external hard drive, computer drive, etc. Is there anything worse at the computer level than losing all the saved files? Basically its objective is to destroy everything that is on the way and eliminate any document that there is.
Of course this can cause economic losses very important in the case of a company, as well as seriously affecting any home user. Think of everything you can have stored on your computer: travel photos, text documents with which you work or study, important files that you don’t want to lose…
There are different techniques and also different methods of attack. They can even point directly at Backups to delete all content. Usually infect through malicious files that we download, for example. Also when installing programs that have been modified and are actually malware.
Tips to be protected
So what can we do to protect ourselves and not fall victim to a malware wiper delete all files? Here we must take into account several fundamental steps and only if we take all of them into account will we be truly protected not only against this threat, but also against anyone who can compromise our system.
An essential point is to have a good antivirus. There are many options. Some that we can name are Windows Defender, Avast or Bitdefender. However, any of the guarantees can help you protect the equipment. Also, you should install it no matter what operating system you are using.
It is also essential to have All updated. In many cases, threats like wiper malware can enter the system by exploiting some unpatched vulnerability. We can avoid this if we install the latest updates that are available. You must apply it both to the system itself and to any program that we have installed.
But without a doubt, something that cannot be missing is the common sense. In most cases, this type of malware runs after we have made a mistake. For example after downloading a dangerous file, installing a program that we have downloaded from sites that are not safe, etc. If we do not make mistakes, if we avoid opening files that are not trustworthy or installing third-party applications, we will greatly increase security.
