How many times have we not heard that a company, web platform or team has been attacked by cybercriminals? Sure a lot. This is because an attacker managed to break into the system and steal your data. Commonly the possibilities they have to carry out this crime is taking advantage of a weakness in it.
These criminals often find it very easy to do so, since they use these small errors to infiltrate, their preferred tool being the famous Exploits. But what are they really? Basically it deals with a program or code that takes advantage of a security hole.
As you see this term is related to threats and attacks, reason why we must know very well the consequences that it can generate and how we can avoid them to protect our backs. In this article below we will give you all the details you need, since your safety is important to us.
What are exploits and what are they for in computing?
This word has English origin and means to exploit or take advantage of; In computing it has a similar meaning, however, we are talking about a piece of software that uses an insufficiency to have unforeseen behavior within an information system.
These tools, as we already mentioned, are very useful for cybercriminals, since they can use vulnerabilities in very popular programs. The same are able to get admin permissions or be able to take control and evade security measures to generate an infection.
If we imagine this in another context, we could represent the system as the model of a lock, where if it has a defect in its design it would allow us to create keys (exploits), to open it and therefore access what it is trying to protect.
The purpose of this is to destroy or disable the system to which the attack is carried out, when its measures are violated to carry out activities that are beneficial to third parties.
How does an exploit work to detect vulnerabilities in our computer equipment?
Mainly we must take into account that this can reach our computers in different ways, because generally They are not only actions generated by hackers, if not also by security experts, which is why they know very well what they are doing.
Sometimes this can come of its own consequences, being the fact that we open emails from suspicious sources, click on malicious links, enter dangerous websites, etc. Other times it may come with an ad harmless thrown on a page.
Since the software is created and developed by us humans, it is very common that they may have errors in the codes; these are usually called bugs. That is why when a mistake or vulnerability is found in a mail software, for example, when making a request to its server, a hacker could create a file to exploit such a bug and gain easy access to user information.
Exploits and malwares How are both terms related?
When we talk about We directly associate it with all kinds of malicious software, but we must know that today these are not very dangerous pieces of the threats that can be found on the Internet.
Currently we can find different terms that seem to be familiar, such as the case of exploits and malware, but It must be clear that these expressions have different functions.
A malware is a malicious code, which can generate any type of problem in our computers to cause damage and take control of its operations. It is made up of trojans, ransomware or worms. Although it is not intended to harm your computer’s hardware, it does steal, erase, and encrypt your data.
For his part, exploits are programs that aim to exploit existing bugs; As we have already said, they take advantage of the design or programming errors of a certain system to enter it.
As we can see, if there are differences between one and the other, although both can be used to commit any type of inappropriate act. The exploit itself is not malicious, criminals use it as an extra component within their malicious code to gain illegal income. Similarly, many malware use exploits to achieve their goal and take control of the system.
What are the types of exploits that exist and how are they different?
There are several types of exploits, each of them is important for you to know, since they These are based on the different forms of access that can be achieved and according to the objective that the attacker has.
Among them are the following:
- Remote Exploit: It is one where it is not necessary for the attacker to be physically in front of the computer that wants to do the damage. Which means that he can run it from any type of local network where he is connected, he can even do it from an Internet connection.
- local exploit: It is done when the attacker is in front of the computer he wants to attack. Although in itself it is not necessary that you be physically present, but you can also do it remotely.
- Client Exploit: In this, the attacker must be physically in front of the computer. It is currently one of the most common, because a malicious attachment can be sent via email, and once it is downloaded it can be executed.
Tips to protect yourself from exploits and avoid computer attacks
Once explained what this program means, what its types are and how they work, you can then apply certain options and tips to prevent it from affecting the development of your operating system.
Notably The fact of installing a tool that tells you when there is any type of threat is very important, as this will help keep the equipment in perfect condition.
Take note of these tips that we offer you:
Keep all our applications and systems up to date
As we have said, these take advantage of the security holes in our computer, which is why We must close them immediately. For this reason, keeping our entire system and what it contains updated to the latest versions is beneficial, this to prevent it from being exploited by attackers.
The updates not only incorporate improvements in the functionalities but also include corrections that serve to close possible holes.
To make sure these are up to date and not miss an update, we can use an administrator that makes our security is maintained when making automatic adjustments.
Reduce any type of exploit effect that can be executed without our permission
Sometimes Those who create the applications do not make updates to solve any type of problem that you have, which is why different types of instruments can be used to avoid any type of virus that can damage the operating system and thus obtain an adequate response.
Having a solution at hand is essential to get and block any type of threat that does not allow any vulnerability in a file.
Install an antivirus
Nowadays it is essential to install a good antivirus that is constantly and automatically updated, this with the intention that your computer has the security it needs. Keep in mind that you must use one that is capable of detecting and blocking exploits; for our part we recommend ESET Smart Security, but if you want to see other options you can enter the following link to know the .
Install safeguard measures
you should always install programs that provide the necessary security to your computer, because hackers can use these atonements in order to enter your computer whenever they want.
Be careful with attachments
Every time you access your email and need to open an attachment It is essential that you verify that it does not come from any risky source. This is because you can unknowingly install any type of malicious file that could harm your computer.
Facebook Comments
Disqus