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Author Topic: Computer viruses hit one million  (Read 686 times)

Offline Clive

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Computer viruses hit one million
« on: April 17, 2008, 19:23 »
The new high for malicious programs was revealed by security firm Symantec in the latest edition of its bi-annual Internet Security Threat Report.

The vast majority of these programs have been created in the last twelve months, said Symantec.

Cyber criminals pump out malware to fool anti-virus programs which look for characteristics they have already seen.

The latest edition of the Symantec report covers the second half of 2007 during which time the security firm detected 499,811 new malicious code threats. This figure was up 136% on the first six months of 2007.

Throughout 2007 Symantec detected more than 711,912 novel threats which brings the total number of malicious programs that the security firm's anti-virus programs detect to 1,122,311.

The report notes: "almost two thirds of all malicious code threats currently detected were created during 2007."

The vast majority of these viruses are aimed at PCs running Microsoft Windows and are variants of already existing malicious programs that have proved useful to hi-tech criminals in the past.

Symantec said part of the rise was down to criminals increasingly using trojans as a "beachhead" to gain access to a PC and then use that route to download and install a variety of other malicious programs.

Popular malicious installations include key loggers that spring to life if particular websites are visited or programs, such as online games, are started up.

The report also put the growth in malicious code down to the increasingly professional digital criminal underground.

Typically, groups engaged in hi-tech crime employ groups of programmers to generate the novel variants.

The fact that these programmers expect to be paid drives the criminals to make as much money as possible out of the information they steal and to be constantly on the look out for new victims.

Said the report: "The combination of these factors results in a high volume of new malicious code samples that threaten users online."


Offline Simon

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Re: Computer viruses hit one million
« Reply #1 on: April 17, 2008, 19:27 »
Quote
Symantec said part of the rise was down to criminals increasingly using trojans as a "beachhead" to gain access to a PC and then use that route to download and install a variety of other malicious programs.

These terms they come up with always amuse me.   ;D
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Offline sam

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Re: Computer viruses hit one million
« Reply #2 on: April 17, 2008, 21:49 »
not to be a cynic... but how many were manufactured by the antivirus companies... or their mates..
- sam | @starrydude --

Offline Clive

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Re: Computer viruses hit one million
« Reply #3 on: April 17, 2008, 22:41 »
Sam!  How could you say such a thing? 

Offline Simon

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Re: Computer viruses hit one million
« Reply #4 on: April 18, 2008, 00:19 »
I also believe that, Sam.  What a great way to generate business!  Make something that breaks something, then sell the fix!
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