Malicious Web Applications: How to detect and block them

TipsMake.com - Today, Web-based applications have become popular and bring many advantages for users. They are always available anywhere, any time as long as the user has a device that can browse the Web. Web applications are also easy to update and maintain. The developer only needs to edit the application on the Web server and the user will always be able to use the latest version.

But Web applications can hide more than you think, and in some cases they are actually malware. You need to be aware of the dangers that Web applications can bring and know how to protect themselves from them.

Why is Web application dangerous?

A Web application is essentially a complete application that runs on a Web browser. It may simply be a memorization application or a game but can completely damage your PC.

Cameron Camp, a security researcher at ESET, says Web applications rely on popular Web development technologies such as Java or ActiveX that malware writers have exploited to spread malicious code long ago. The Adobe Flash platform is also the preferred target for attackers.

Adobe Flash is the target of Malware's preferred attack

Tim Keanini, CTO of nCircle said that cyber attackers are talented and creative developers who are excited to find new ways to extract your information and money.

Specifically, a standalone Web application is a form of Trojan . It may look like a utility or a legitimate application. But once clicking on it, it will run malicious code on the background to destroy the system or secretly download more malicious applications from the Internet.

Talking about Web applications, Camp warns, 'When Web applications allow more and more features in the browser platform, users need to be aware of their penetration into the system'.

Some types of malware attacks try to lure users to click on a link in an email that leads to a malicious Web application that will infect the user's computer. Other dangerous applications hide in Web pages and wait for victims to pass. In some cases, attackers take advantage of legitimate Web sites by exploiting security vulnerabilities or posting advertisements that lead to a malicious Web application.

Fred Pinkett, vice president of product monitoring at Security Innovation, says users should be cautious about strange or obscure Web sites. He explained, 'In general, the more popular the website, the more likely it is to be safe, but this is not always true. Be careful with common tricks like changing IP addresses and URLs with strange characters even though they don't always contain malware . '

Do not assume that you are safe without using the Microsoft Windows operating system . Attackers often choose Windows as their preferred target, but this does not mean that users will be safe with other operating systems because Web applications are essentially platform independent.

Prevent attacks with Web applications

Mr. Keanini (nCircle) says that the best protection from a standalone Web application is to raise user awareness about online security. If you suspect an application, don't click it. This will help users avoid most malware in the Web application, but it doesn't seem feasible.

When you can't avoid a mischievous click, build a solid security wall by installing and updating security software regularly. Most of such software can detect malicious behavior and threat blocking, the most powerful protection comes from updating security software regularly. This helps identify and prevent the latest threats.

A malicious Web application exploits vulnerabilities in operating systems or third-party applications to harm PCs. Enable Automatic Updates ( Automatic Updates ) for Windows and software with this mode. Apply new updates as soon as they appear.

When attacking Web development, the browser also added system protection features. Most of the current browsers have features that help identify a website's correct DNS (thus avoiding phishing threats) and make timely adjustments to block malicious Web code. If you are using an outdated browser, it only protects you from old threats without being able to defend against new malware .

A malicious Web application can infect tabs in the same browser session. So if you are opening a secure site tab specifically specified by ' https ' at the beginning of the URL , do not open additional tabs for less secure pages ( non-https ) in the same browser window. .

Users should also be careful with plug-ins and utilities ( add-ons ). Plug-ins and add-ons are great for adding browser functionality and making user tasks more convenient. But they may not be focused on security, thus enabling malware to exploit. Choose plug-ins and utilities carefully and use only from trusted sources.

People today connect to the Web from more diverse devices than ever before. Web applications have become more convenient and popular than local installation software, but they also bring some dangers. Make sure you understand the nature of the threats and take reasonable measures to identify and prevent them.