BRATISLAVA – ESET is today celebrating the third anniversary of Antimalware Day, an annual campaign that honors the work done by researchers in the field of information security and in the broader technology industry. Antimalware Day aims to reinforce the importance of antimalware, so this year ESET is looking back at some of the most important malware types threatening internet users in 2020, to demonstrate how critical it is to continue the fight against malicious software.

The threat landscape has transformed rapidly in 2020, and we have seen a variety of new developments in malware. To gain an understanding of the threats facing internet users, ESET is taking a look at five malware types plaguing 2020, drawing on research from the year, including the recent Q3 2020 Threat Report:

1. Malicious torrents: In September, ESET announced that it had uncovered a previously undocumented malware family, which was subsequently named KryptoCibule. The malware uses cryptominers and clipboard hijacking to steal cryptocoins and exfiltrates cryptocurrency-related files.

2. Android threats: In terms of the Android threat landscape, malware in the ‘Hidden Apps’ category has dominated for three consecutive quarters in 2020. This threat consists of deceptive apps, commonly disguised as gaming or utility apps, which hide their icons after installation and display full-screen ads.

3. IoT threats: Often designed with little to no security in mind, Internet of Things (IoT) devices are easy pickings for attackers. By infesting IoT devices with malicious bots, attackers can enslave them into botnets that can be leveraged for large-scale attacks.

4. Mac malware: In early 2020, the Kattana trading application for Mac computers was copied and trojanized, with cybercriminals inserting malware used to steal information such as browser cookies, cryptocurrency wallets and screen captures.

5. Malicious emails: Malware distributed via email surged in the third quarter of 2020. The most prevalent detection in 2020 is of a Microsoft Office exploit.

For more information on 2020 malware trends, check out the ESET Q3 2020 Threat Report, which summarizes key statistics from ESET detection systems and notable examples of ESET’s cybersecurity research. Make sure to follow ESET research on Twitter for the latest news from ESET Research.