How Cybercriminals Bypass Your Defenses (And How to Stop Them)

Malware can seriously disrupt a computer's functionality. Performance issues are only the beginning, with the worst cases involving credential theft, data theft, or monetary theft. Malware is annoying, but it can also be dangerous. Simply put, you don’t want malware to make its way onto your devices. That’s what antivirus software is for.

Unfortunately, operating systems and applications are constantly updated and made more sophisticated. Malicious files and the various ways to introduce them evolve at the same pace. Antivirus is essential, but not impenetrable, and additional protection is often required to keep the system safe.

Antivirus Software: A Quick History

Antivirus software helps prevent, detect, and remove malware or malicious code from your computer. The first computer viruses cropped up as early as the 1970s. By the mid-1980s, the first iterations of antivirus software became available based on the viruses of the time.

Since then, viruses on personal computers have become a common concern, and the antivirus industry has exploded. Today, many operating systems come with built-in protection, such as Microsoft Defender and XProtect.

Bypassing Antivirus Programs

Malware injection tactics have grown and developed alongside the technology and innovations meant to protect modern PCs and other online systems from malware injection.

Today, there are several common and increasingly sneaky ways to attack a device:

• Phishing is a tactic in which attackers send messages to a target to trick them into clicking on malicious links or inputting sensitive credentials
• Process injection is a method of embedding malicious code into a legitimate process, making it look benign
• Command and scripting interpreter abuse occurs when attackers use scripting environments (such as PowerShell, WSL, etc) to run commands disguised as normal operations
• Drive-by downloads occur when malicious code installs automatically after visiting a compromised website
• Defense impairment is a tactic in which hackers explicitly target the tools designed to protect the network
• MFA bypass is a method of circumventing multi-factor authentication by compromising alternative authentication methods

AI has also impacted modern cybercrime as it can be leveraged to make attacks more efficient and difficult to detect. Phishing attempts, such as messages or calls, can be made more quickly and convincingly by using AI to mimic the tone of company communications or even sound like real human voices. Malware becomes more adaptive when supported by AI, making it harder to detect. Vulnerability scanning—an essential part of determining the viability of a target—can be automated using AI. No wonder threats can more easily bypass defenses.

Protecting Yourself with Multilayered Security

A multilayered security approach, often discussed as a defense-in-depth security strategy, uses multiple, overlapping security controls. It’s the best way to cover all bases, even in the era of AI-supported attacks.

Multilayered security can be achieved by utilizing tools that protect on the device, network, and account levels. This solution reduces the likelihood of human error.

Device protection is usually handled by antivirus or endpoint detection software (your Microsoft Defender, XProtect, Bitdefender, Norton, or CrowdStrike Falcon). These tools monitor and block malware, ransomware, and suspicious activity. To keep them functional, update them as needed, and enable alerts.

Network protection consists of firewall technology, segmentation (to limit access between different parts of a network to contain potential threats), VPN services, and access management. Review which programs can use your camera, microphone, location, or contacts, and remove unnecessary access to reduce security risks.

Account protection can be achieved by using strong, unique passwords (ideally with a password manager) and enabling MFA (ideally through authentication apps to reduce the risk of MFA bypass from SIM swapping). Many account services also allow you to see recent login history, device lists, and access locations. Check these areas regularly.

Finally, keep yourself informed on the latest social engineering tactics to avoid being deceived by sophisticated and often difficult-to-spot phishing attempts.

Using a VPN for Additional Security

What is a VPN vs antivirus, and do you need both? The short answer is yes. Antivirus software protects your device from malware, viruses, and ransomware. It also monitors and blocks suspicious processes running locally on the machine. A VPN, on the other hand, protects data in transit by encrypting network traffic and masking your IP address.

Some modern antivirus software includes VPN features. These features provide encrypted browsing and malware blocking in transit. Some VPN providers also offer services such as malware or phishing protection. For remote workers, combining a VPN and good antivirus software is the best way to get multilayered, effective protection.

The VPN covers the network side (especially when using public Wi-Fi) while the antivirus protects your device. It's not VPN vs antivirus, but rather two different services running simultaneously for the ultimate protection.

Tying It All Together

It's not just alarmism to take multilayered cybersecurity seriously. Cybercriminals continue to develop methods that bypass traditional antivirus tools. Reputable antivirus software is essential to every modern cybersecurity toolkit, but it's not the only tool.