The Reign malware virus has been found to have spread around a wide number of computers in Ireland, and it is looking like this could be a national problem. Reign, or Backdoor as it is sometimes referred to, is a malware virus that has the ability to spy on computer users and has resurfaced after it was disposed of nearly three years ago.
Naturally, the malware virus has caused a lot of concern among computer users and has caused the government to look into the source of this security breach. Here we will look at everything you need to know about the Reign virus, and how you can take the necessary steps to make yourself that little bit safer online.
Who Is The Reign Virus Targeting?
The Reign virus for the moment seems to be having a very precise method of spreading around. The main target right now for the virus seems to be specific companies, research organizations, and branches of government. Because the virus has spread around quite quickly, it has become clear that no specific industry has really been targeted.
Thus far the virus does not seem to be targeting people indiscriminately. In fact, it is believed that if any individuals do find themselves targeted by the malware virus, it is possibly because they work or are involved with one of the organizations that are trying to spy on. The virus is however believed to be passing through internet service providers directly to customers, rather than to the provider itself.
How Does The Virus Work?
This is something that still remains unclear. It runs while operating at five different stages, and it is only detectable during the first stage. After that, it hides and encrypts itself so then it can remain unseen by anti-virus scanning software. Unfortunately at the moment, none of the individual stages are able to provide much information about how the virus works. It can only be properly analyzed once all five stages have been completed.
Where Is The Virus From?
Right now, indications seem to be that the virus has come from paid hackers in either China or Russia, although this hasn’t really been confirmed. It is also believed that there are several other countries that have been targeted by the virus. The countries that are believed to be victims of this kind of malware surveillance are Pakistan, Austria, Belgium, Afghanistan, Iran, India, and Mexico.
How Can You Avoid Infection?
The problem is the Reign virus is very easily missed by many anti-virus programs as it can only really be detected during the first stage of its operating plan. There are however things you can do in order to keep your computer as safe as possible so then it increases your chances of finding the virus and then disposing of it.
The most important thing you can do is keep your anti-virus software up-to-date. In the past, the Reign virus has been detected and disposed of by anti-virus programs before it was altered and mutated, so there is the possibility that it won’t be long until they are able to dispose of it again. By keeping your software updated, then you will be able to protect yourself from the very latest threats, which could include the Reign virus.
Another thing that you can do to stay safer is to run a regular scan of your computer, ideally once a week. If you have the options available on the software you are using, try running a quick scan once a week and then a full detailed scan once every two weeks or so. This will not only give your anti-virus a chance to find potential threats quickly, but it also increases the chances of your software finding the Reign virus before it is able to cause much damage.
To remain safe, you ultimately need to keep your anti-virus updated and keep it scanning your system on a regular basis. This way you have a chance of catching the Reign virus during its first stage when it can be detected.
