What is Malicious Mobile Code and How Does It Work?
Malicious mobile code is becoming a popular way to get malware installed on a computer. Malicious mobile code is malware that is obtained from remote servers, transferred across a network, and then downloaded on to your computer. This type of code can be transmitted through interactive Web applications such as ActiveX controls, Flash animation, or JavaScript.
Malicious Mobile Code Focus
Malicious mobile code focuses on the security issues that relate to ActiveX controls, Flash animation, JavaScript, and Java Applets. The security issues are concerns related to the ability of these programs to read from and write to files and folders on your computer's hard drive. There are also security concerns with regard to the ability of these programs to run and attach programs, which provides a high risk potential for the distribution of malicious mobile code.
Although there are security patches that address these concerns, computer users often do not upgrade the service patches due to a number of reasons. They may not be aware of new security patches for download or they may use the default security settings on their browsers which are set to allow these programs to run automatically when a website is visited.
The developers of malicious mobile code are aware of these types of vulnerabilities that are created by users and organizations that do not employ Internet and Web rules when their workers surf the Internet. As a result, they use malicious mobile code to exploit these vulnerabilities.
How Malicious Mobile Code Works
Malicious mobile code criminals are not only well-versed in computer programming, they are also knowledgeable in marketing techniques that are based on how Internet surfers think. These are marketing strategies that appeal to the Internet surfer's interests.
Armed with this knowledge, malicious mobile code criminals program codes that install malware into items of interest such as free screensavers, music downloads, games, pornography, and other applications that are accessed on the Internet. All of these applications generally require interactive plug-ins such as ActiveX, JavaScript, or Flash, and they exist on websites that are infected with malware.
Once the user clicks on the website and uses these applications, the malware is installed without the user's permission and is usually the initial step to a combined malware attack. The malware is installed on the user's computer and then it generates additional malware such as spyware, keylogging, adware, and other malicious software. This allows the intruder to access personal and financial information, passwords, logins, and other sensitive data.
How to Fight Malicious Mobile Code
You can help to combat malicious mobile code by keeping your antivirus program updated and changing your browser configuration settings to block interactive applications such as JavaScript from running automatically. Additionally, keep up on the patch updates and try employing a sandbox technology.
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