Fileless malware runs entirely from memory to make detection harder

Traditional malware infections usually require a file object to be placed on the system which makes it relatively easy for them to be detected and removed.

Now though there’s a stealthier threat uncovered by security company Malwarebytes. Poweliks is an infection that runs without a filesystem object, completely from the registry and memory using rundll32.exe, javascript and a create on-the-fly dll.

Code can be injected into the machine via a fake landing page which makes traditional security solutions like white listing ineffective in combating it.