In addition, instead of creating their own tools, attackers sometimes use 3 rd party tools downloaded from the Internet and embed them as an integrated component to their framework, increasing its malicious payload. Instead, they are often used to provide greater capabilities for malicious actors when they attack or compromise a machine. Most of the time, users only leverage a small subset of the available functionality these programs provide. These tools can then save the day.īut that is actually rare. These can be very useful when someone with limited knowledge in program development has a specific requirement. There are a lot of tool categories, ranging from System Administration to Password Recovery. These tools are useful when the user makes use of all the program functionalities and advantages provided by the software. System Administration tools and other tools with similar functionalities can fall into the PUA category.
Instead, it is the usage of such tools and the related outcomes that are the real problem. These tools are not really malicious and the program itself does not necessarily represent a risk. Potentially unwanted applications (PUAs) refer to a general category used by all vendors to tag are particular applications that can be misused by malicious people. What is a PUAs (Potentially Unwanted Application)? In this FortiGuard Labs article, we will define what a PUA is, describe its inherent risks, and how malware makes use of them by showcasing a malware sample. Unfortunately, one of these innocent categories turned into something more serious: the well-known PUAs. Many developers were not really malware writers, but skilled developers that wanted to have a good time scaring people or simply making a joke by developing small pieces of software that performed behaviors such as opening the CD-ROM or displaying different characters walking across a screen. Different categories like Joke programs or other similar programs with non-destructive payloads were part of that era. Viruses and some Worms had started to emerge, and while some were really dangerous, a great majority were not.
Back in the 90’s, the Internet was not too wild in terms of malicious software, hacking attacks, etc.
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