What is Emotet malware?
Emotet malware is a Trojan that normally spreads through spam emails. A Trojan virus essentially disguises itself as a piece of real software to go undetected so you click on it. These emails will try and get you to click on their links by posing as a familiar brand and tempting email titles, throwing in links like ‘Payment Details’ and ‘Your invoice’. If you click on these links the malware will download onto your computer and attempt to infect everything on your network. Once it infects your computer it hijacks your email account and sends itself to everyone on your contact list. What makes this even more dangerous is that the malware is coming from a trusted person (you) and will have a higher chance of being clicked on by your friends and family.
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Who does it target?
Thinking that you aren’t a target for Emotet? you’re wrong. Emotet malware attacks everyone, individuals and companies are both prey for the malware. It has successfully stolen banking logins, bitcoins, financial data, and other high priority information from unsuspecting victims. Don’t assume because of the size of your business you may not be a target.
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How can I protect myself?
Getting infected by Emotet may be worrying but rest assured . As long as you follow these steps, your business will be kept safe.
- Don’t click on suspicious links: I know this may sound pretty obvious and easier said than done, but the most effective way to prevent the malware is to never let it in. It may be difficult at first but if you take the time to learn the key giveaways of malware emails you will be an expert in telling them apart in no time. Click here to learn about five easy ways to tell apart malware emails from genuine ones.
- Make sure your passwords are strong: Sometimes remembering passwords is difficult and it is tempting to make it something short and easy to remember. In the day and age we live in however, we cant afford this luxury. The stronger the password, the less likely you are of being hacked. If you are unsure on what a strong password is, click here to read up on some tips to creating the right password.
- Get two-factor authentication: It will help tremendously if you have a strong password. If the password gets leaked however, it doesn’t matter how strong it is. Having a two-factor authentication system drastically reduces the chance of getting hacked. Think about two-factor authentication as an additional checklist to see if the person logging in is you. Your password is one checklist and if you get it right you will need to pass the other requirement. This could be a code generator on your phone that is needed to login to your account. Click here to find out how to set up a two-factor authenticator.
- Be aware of its tricks: It may be tempting for some of you to play around with the malware or checking to see if an email’s links are legit in a virtual machine. Emotet is a master of disguising itself and actually lays dormant if it finds itself in a virtual machine or ‘sandbox’ environment. Try to not let your curiosity get the best of you. If you must test whether a link is legit in a virtual machine, make sure that you are aware that it lays dormant and do not open it up on your real system no matter what.
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Infected with Emotet? Here’s what to do
If you think you may be infected with Emotet, the first thing to do is isolating your computer. This means taking it off the network and unplugging it from everything else. Once unplugged you should patch and clean the system but be careful not to plug it back in. As we already discussed, Emotet infects the whole network. If you plug it back in, the malware will infect your computer again and you are back to square one. It’s a tedious process, but your best bet is wiping every computer on the network clean. Once you do that you should be fine to connect everything up again.
Conclusion
Emotet malware is a nasty virus that is extremely damaging and costly to individuals and companies across the globe. It normally hides itself in spam emails, posing as familiar brands with tempting language to get you to click on it. By following the tips in this article and setting up a good cybersecurity plan with a professional, your business will be kept safe. You should consult an IT lawyer if you would like to ensure that your business is safe and Emotet proof.
