Infection refers to malware entering a device or network, enabling unauthorized access, data theft, disruption, or further compromise.
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A malware infection occurs when malicious code executes on a device or enters an environment, enabling unauthorized actions such as persistence, data theft, encryption, or further compromise. The term commonly covers viruses, worms, trojans, spyware, and similar malware; an infection may begin through a malicious attachment, exploit, drive-by download, removable media, or stolen credentials. Its effects depend on the malware and the privileges of the affected account, and an infected host does not necessarily spread automatically.
For security practitioners, the key concerns are identifying affected hosts, determining the initial access and scope, and preventing lateral movement. Useful controls include timely vulnerability remediation, email and web filtering, application controls, least-privilege accounts, and endpoint monitoring for unusual processes, persistence, or network connections. When infection is suspected, isolate the system without destroying evidence, investigate related accounts and devices, revoke exposed credentials, remove or rebuild the malware, and validate that restored systems are clean.
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In addition to executing entirely in memory, the malware's infection chain incorporates other anti-analysis techniques designed to evade detection.
Hundreds of npm packages infected by the self-propagating, credential-stealing worm from TeamPCP are related to the open source TanStack ecosystem.
A compromised developer's repository serves as a worm-like infection vector to spread remote access Trojans (RATs) and other malware.
Linked to North Korean fake job-recruitment campaigns, the poisoned repositories are aimed at establishing persistent access to infected machines.
APT28's attacks rely on specially crafted Microsoft Rich Text Format (RTF) documents to kick off a multistage infection chain to deliver malicious payloads.
The sophisticated worm — which uses invisible code to steal credentials and turn developer systems into criminal proxies — has so far infected nearly 36k machines.
The campaign infected devices in the US and Southeast Asia to build an operational relay box (ORB) network for use as an extensive cyber-espionage infrastructure.
Thousands of ASUS routers have been infected and are believed to be part of a wide-ranging ORB network affecting devices from Linksys, D-Link, QNAP, and Araknis Network.
The cybercriminals infected older wireless Internet routers with Anyproxy and 5socks malware in order to reconfigure them — all without the users' knowledge.
Researchers found the threat actor attempting to use the now-patched flaw to load and execute a malicious dynamic link library on infected systems.
Both Android devices and iPhones are 3.5 times more likely to be infected with malware once "broken" and 250 times more likely to be totally compromised, recent research shows.
The South American-based advanced persistent threat group is using an exploit with a "high infection rate," according to research from Check Point.
Microsoft is warning the modular and potentially wormable Apple-focused infostealer boasts new capabilities for obfuscation, persistence, and infection, and could lead to a supply chain attack.
Advanced persistent threat group PlushDaemon, active since 2019, is using a sophisticated modular backdoor to collect data from infected systems in South Korea.
The malware, operated by China-backed cyberattackers, has been significantly fortified with new evasive and post-infection capabilities.
GoDaddy flagged a ClickFix campaign that infected 6,000 sites in a one-day period, with attackers using stolen admin credentials to distribute malware.
Once a user's device is infected as part of an ongoing Flax Typhoon APT campaign, the malware connects it to a botnet called Raptor Train, initiating malicious activity.
Russia's Midnight Blizzard infected Mongolian government websites to try to compromise the devices of visitors, using watering-hole tactics.
Russia's Midnight Blizzard infected Mongolian government websites to try to compromise the devices of visitors, using watering-hole tactics.
Australia's Evolution Mining said its IT systems were infected with ransomware in an Aug. 8 cyber incident.