Glossary
Drive-by Download
A drive-by download infects your computer just by visiting a website - no clicking required. The page exploits a vulnerability in your browser or plugins to silently install malware. This is why keeping your browser updated is so important.
What is Drive-by Download?
The unintentional download of malicious software when visiting a compromised or malicious website, requiring no user action beyond simply loading the page.
Why Should You Care?
Drive-by downloads bypass employee awareness entirely—no phishing click, no social engineering, just visiting a compromised or malicious website can silently install remote access trojans or other malware. Security teams must monitor for suspicious outbound connections and unexpected system changes after web browsing, since detection often requires behavioral analysis rather than user reporting. Organizations with unpatched browsers and plugins face exposure across their entire user base, making patch management for browser engines and extensions a critical control.
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Real-World Example
In the mid-2010s, malvertising campaigns on legitimate publisher websites silently redirected visitors through exploit kits such as Angler, which probed for unpatched Adobe Flash or browser vulnerabilities and dropped banking trojans without any user interaction. Victims received no notification and often discovered the infection only when unusual account activity appeared or security software flagged the malware days later. This pattern was a primary distribution vector for financial fraud before vulnerable browser plugins were phased out.
How to Protect Against Drive-by Download
- 1.
Enable automatic browser updates
- 2.
Use a browser with built-in security features
- 3.
Consider using ad-blockers (ads are common vectors)
Related Terms
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