Yes, we’ve written quite a lot about malware recently and we’re pretty sure that our regular readers have grown to be quite the malware specialists by now. We mainly focused on what is malware, how it works and how to prevent it from spreading, but we never really talked about all those misdirected beliefs that are connected to it. Want to find some tips that will help you spot differences between a Blue Screen of Death caused by a faulty hardware and a real malware? The following list will take you through the 10 main misconceptions that regular folk have about malware

1. All about that Malware: 10 Myths debunked
Yes, we’ve written quite a lot about malware recently and we’re pretty sure that our regular readers have
grown to be quite the malware specialists by now. We mainly focused on what is malware, how it works and
how to prevent it from spreading, but we never really talked about all those misdirected beliefs that are
connected to it.
Want to find some tips that will help you spot differences between a Blue Screen of Death caused by a faulty
hardware and a real malware? The following list will take you through the 10 main misconceptions that regular
folk have about malware.
- Misconception #1: All recent cyberattacks are massive, have precise targets and inevitably end up
on the evening news
You may have heard about global cyberattacks caused by Petya or Wannacry or the even more recent hacking
incident concerning Equifax. In one year, these massiveattacks have made billions of victims allover the world,
being widely relayed by the media.
Does this mean that these large-scale cyberattacks are the only ones out there? Definitely not: millions of
multiple kinds of hacks per day are aiming at smalland large businesses alike,using techniques that range from
the smallest encrypting malware to the most vicious wiper type.
While every cyberattack is believed to be one of a kind and more and more sophisticated, let it be clear that
these hacks rely on the very same techniques more often than not.
- Misconception #2: Small and medium businesses are not an attractive target
You may think your business is too small to catch the attention of black hat hackers? Well, think again.
Even if they aren’t the most profitable, small and medium companies are really attractive to hackers because
they are an easy target. Indeed, they tend to have weaker cybersecurity measures in place (ifnone at all),using
poor encryption technologies and letting their data alarmingly unprotected.
- Misconception #3: You’ll inevitably know whether or not yourcomputer has been infected
If some types of malware provide visible signs of infection (such as ransomware that blocks your access to your
equipment or any other malware slowing down your computer, for instance),most of them operate completely
without your knowledge, running undetected in the background, sometimes for years at a time.
The only way to really know if your computer is infected is to run go beyond mere static cybersecurity
protection measures. Your antivirus might be able to detect known viruses, but what is to be done when a new
strain has infiltrated your device? This is where dynamic protection measures come in, in the form of UBA (User

2. The only way to really know if your computer is infected is to run go beyond mere static cybersecurity
protection measures. Your antivirus might be able to detect known viruses, but what is to be done when a new
strain has infiltrated your device? This is where dynamic protection measures come in, in the form of UBA (User
Behavior Analytics). To learn more, read our previous article on behavioral anomaly detection here.
 Misconception #4: Malware Is Just for Windows, your Mac is totally safe
One of the most well-known myths about malware is that Windows is the most and the only vulnerable OS.
Realistically speaking, Windows is indeed heavily targeted, but other platforms such as Mac, or even Android,
remain vulnerable to malware attacks.
In the past few years, a recent increase of Mac-oriented cyberattacks via cross platform malware has made
itself noticed. If you think about it, why would cybercriminals let billions of users go uncompromised just
because they’re not using Windows equipment?
 Misconception #5: You think you don’t have anything worth stealing on your personal computer
Sure, not everybody is James Bond and has all the MI6 secrets on his/her own laptop at home or even at work:
but still,even ifyou think you don’t have anything important stored on your hard drive, think again.Information
such as your email address, social networks passwords, or bank credentials can be used by hackers to target
you and those in your circle.
 Misconception #6: You don’t go on risky websites, so you’re probably safe, right?
Cybersecurity experts obviously advise you not to visit shady or risky websites as a security measure: while this
warning is truly great, it is important to understand that even reputable, legitimate websites can be
compromised. Indeed, some large, famous and thought-to-be secure websites such as Yahoo or The New York
Times have been known to be infected in the past months. To sum it all up: stay vigilant on every website that
you browse.
 Misconception #7: Email attachments from people you know are completely secure
Nowadays, internet best practices seemto have been assimilated by most people. For instance, it may appear
normal for everybody to be cautious about emails and attachments from strangers and to check twice before
downloading any kind of files sent to you by someone you don’t know. But it is also important is to think twice
when blindly opening emails from people you know too.
You might not want to be completely paranoid about all the thing you receive from friends and colleagues, but
just remember that hackers often amuse themselves by stealing users’ credentials and then sending malware
to all those in their address book.
 Misconception #8: Antivirus software will protect your computer from all malware
It’s a fact, no antivirus product is one hundred percent effective. Just read Misconception #3

3. - Misconception#10: You can restore all your data if you rememberedtoback-up your computer
“Oops,got malware?Wait,I’ll justwipe outall the data on my computer,reinstall myOSand voilà, my computerislike
brand new!”, said no one, ever. The process of restoring your data, even if it really exists, is not that simple.
If youbecome aransomware victimbutyouhave previously securedabackup,youcanresolvethe situationbyrestoring
all yourdata,that’strue;butit’ll bekindof like havinginsuranceon aphone andthengettingitstolen.Itmighteventually
be replaced, but in the meantime, someone has gone through all your photos, emails or messages.
To sum it all up: don’t believe everything you hear about malware and behave responsibly while on the internet,no
matterwhat. Tohelpprevent anycyberattacksin the firstplace,make surethatyou've got (atleast)anupdatedantivirus
program installed and that you are aware of hackers’ tricks coming your way, such as phishing emails.
Also, think about having your data backed-up and remember to follow cybersecurity best practices, even if they
sometimes may appear tedious. One thing’s for sure: it is us that will have to adapt in the face of the relentless threat
hacking.