One of the more common ways internet users get malware or ransomware on their computer is due to malvertising campaigns. It is difficult to distinguish between a legitimate and malicious advertising campaigns on the internet, though. On the surface, advertisements all look the same, yet malvertising campaigns distribute malicious Flash objects to websites all over the world through ad networks. Thankfully, there are some convenient ways to protect against the attacks.
4. Update Plugins For Your Browser
A lot of people use different browser plugins for various reasons. Unfortunately, these plugins pose an inherent risk to security unless they are updated by the user on a regular basis. Developers issue new security updates on a frequent basis, which can help protect users against malware and other attacks. Most browsers update these plugins automatically, but it never hurts to do a manual check now and then.
3. Disable Java
One of the biggest threats to computer users is how they use Java in their browser. Very few websites actively rely on Java code these days, rendering this concept virtually useless to begin with. However, Java remains one of the primary targets for criminals, as the software package has so many different security holes. Disabling Java in the browser is of the utmost importance these days and everyone should do so. Malvertising will become far less efficient once Java – and Flash – are eliminated entirely.
2. Click-to-play Plugins
Contrary to what most people may think, there are plugins for major browsers which can tackle virtually every problem. Click-to-Pay solutions for example, will not automatically show Flash or Java objects on a website. Instead, users have to manually click on content for it to load, which should effectively reduce the risk of getting infected with malicious code.
All of these tools are free of charge and receive regular updates as well. Although such a plug-in can do very little when it comes to users manually clicking on content to display, it blocks virtually everything that can potentially harm one’s computer. This also means there will be no more annoying auto-playing videos on news websites, which is an added bonus. It is well worth the trouble to install these plugins and restart the browser to make sure everything is working as intended.
1. Use Malwarebytes Anti-Exploit
Security companies have developed custom solutions to protect users against malvertising attacks. Malwarebytes, one of the global leaders in online security, has released their Anti-Exploit toolkit a while ago. This user-friendly solution monitors the web browser and watches for exploits and other malicious techniques.
Once a technique is discovered, Anti-Exploit will automatically block it and prevent harm from being done. Moreover, this toolkit is free to use, which makes it a must-have for everyone using the Windows operating system. Although it is possible to use Anti-Exploit alongside a different antivirus software, going all-in on Malwarebytes may be worth considering as well.
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