A new type of malware is making away around the internet. Known as Adrozek, it spreads through nearly all of the major web browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, Edge and even Yandex. If you regularly use the internet — whether for leisure or work — you should take the necessary actions to protect your computer from this new type of malware. Adrozek may not steal your personal data, but it can still pose problems nonetheless.
What Is Adrozek?
Adrozek is a new type of browser-based malware. It was discovered by the Microsoft 365 Defender Research Team earlier this month. According to the cybersecurity researchers, Adrozek has been around since at least May 2020. Researchers also say that at its peak, Adrozek was infecting about 30,000 computers per day, thus making it one of the most widespread and common types of malware for 2020.
How Adrozek Works
Like all types of malware, Adrozek must first make its way onto your computer. It’s typically spread through drive-by downloading in which a victim downloads and executes a file he or she believes is legitimate. The file, of course, contains Adrozek. Upon executing the file, the victim unknowingly infects his or her computer with Adrozek.
Microsoft researchers say that Adrozek’s primary purpose is to generate ad revenue on behalf of the hacker who’s behind the attack. Upon infecting your computer, it will change your web browser settings. You’ll still be able to connect to the internet, and you’ll still be able to browse and navigate websites. Adrozek, however, will inject new ads into your web browser that generate revenue for the hacker who’s responsible for the attack.
“If not detected and blocked, Adrozek adds browser extensions, modifies a specific DLL per target browser, and changes browser settings to insert additional, unauthorized ads into web pages, often on top of legitimate ads from search engines,” wrote the Microsoft 365 Defender Research Team in an article warning users about the new malware.
How to Protect Against Adrozek
You can protect your computer from Adrozek by updating your web browser. After being discovered, developers quickly patched their respective web browsers to defend against Adrozek. If you haven’t yet updated your web browser, though, it will remain susceptible to this new type of malware.
Using the right type of antivirus software can also lower your risk of an Adrozek infection. Some types of antivirus software only look for threats on your computer’s storage drive. To protect against Adrozek, you need to use antivirus software that looks for browser threats as well.
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