Ransomware is one of the many security threats that we can find on the network. It is one of the most dangerous as it aims to encrypt system files and then ask for a ransom in return to get them back. This makes it imperative to take action and avoid falling victim to this type of malware. In this article we are going to talk about what kind of files can be used to sneak ransomware by email.
Type of files that strain viruses
We can say that email is one of the favorite means of hackers to infect victims with viruses and malware. It is very easy to reach a large number of people with few resources. In addition, e-mail is used both by users with knowledge and anyone who has little experience with these issues. For this reason, it is convenient to know what type of files they usually use to sneak ransomware.
Photo
One of the techniques cybercriminals use to infect with ransomware is through an image. Although it is not the most common, it is an option they have. We have seen some varieties of ransomware such as ImageGate, which relies on a photograph in order to infect.
A hacker can attach a photo and invite us to download it. When we do that, we are actually downloading a malicious file that can run and start to seriously compromise all other files and documents that we have on the system and encrypt them.
Text file
A classic widely used to infect via email is to use a text file. For example a Word document is quite common. They can execute macros and in this way start the payload that will be the one to execute the ransomware and start encrypting the system files.
Normally the attackers are going to throw some bait. For example, they can ask us to open that file indicating that it is an invoice or an important document that we must open. They can even tell us that there has been a problem with a service that we use and we need to download information in order to solve the incident.
Another type of file that can be used to sneak ransomware via email is a PDF. It is undoubtedly one of the most used formats for saving text documents. It is essential to analyze if a PDF is dangerous. Simply by opening it, as in the previous cases, we can suffer a ransomware attack.
In this case they will also use some kind of strategy to get us to open it. For example, tell us that it is an important document related to a platform we use, an invoice, etc. They can even make us believe that we are facing an interesting offer.
zip file
ZIP files can store documents of all kinds. They will be compressed and it is one of the most common ways to send them through e-mail. When we unzip it, we can get malware inside and this also includes ransomware. One of those documents may be a threat.
Once again, it is essential to avoid opening files of this type without knowing if it is really a threat or something safe. We could get into trouble if we get careless and click where we shouldn’t.
In short, as you have seen, there are different types of files that can contain ransomware. It is essential to be prepared at all times and know when it could be a scam. Only then can we avoid this dangerous security threat that could encrypt all files.
