How can malware be hidden within legitimate-looking files or documents?
Malware can be hidden within legitimate-looking files or documents using techniques like file obfuscation, steganography, and exploiting file format vulnerabilities. Obfuscation involves modifying the file's code or structure to make it appear harmless to security systems. Steganography is the practice of hiding malware within images, videos, or other media files. Exploiting file format vulnerabilities allows attackers to inject malicious code into the file, making it look legitimate while carrying the hidden malware.
A common technique to hide malware within legitimate-looking files or documents is by encrypting the malware code and embedding it within the file. This makes it difficult for security systems to detect the presence of malware. Another approach is to use file compression tools to compress the malware and rename the file extension to make it appear harmless. The attacker can then distribute the file through email attachments or file-sharing platforms to deceive victims into opening and executing the malware.