subject: VXers creating 150 zombie programs a week posted: Thu, 06 Jan 2005 00:50:12 -0000
[This article notes that spam is being used to install spyware. A
convincing reason to install a decent spam filter, and switch
vulnerable users to something other than Outlook. - Stu]
VXers creating 150 zombie programs a week
By John Leyden
Published Wednesday 5th January 2005 12:23 GMT
Malicious programs capable of turning home PCs into zombies
controlled by hackers are growing at between 150 to 200 per week.
McAfee's Anti-virus and Vulnerability Emergency Response Team (AVERT)
reports that bots (now numbering over 7,000) and mass mailing viruses
are the greatest threat to enterprises. Meanwhile exploits and adware
account for over 60 per cent of the malicious threats impacting
consumers.
Already Windows PCs submitted to online scanning by McAfee contained
an average of 13 adware components. It warns that spam encoded to
take advantage of the latest exploits to install spyware will ramp up
consumer security risks even higher.
The number of computer viruses rated medium risk or higher by McAfee
increased from 20 in 2003 to 46 in 2004, an increase of 130 per cent.
By the end of 2004, McAfee's AVERT Labs had detected 17,000 new
malware threats. Vulnerabilities discovered in 2004 totalled more
than 2,800, down 25 per cent from 2003, however McAfee reckons that
malicious hackers are becoming quicker at producing exploits.
"In 2004, the rise in viruses, worms, phishing, adware and
vulnerability exploitation has surpassed what was noted in 2003,"
said Vincent Gullotto, vice president of McAfee AVERT. "Although we
saw a steady five per cent (year over year) decrease in the rate of
virus production from 2000 to 2003, we have seen an increase in 2004
which can be partly attributed to Bagle and NetSky authors feuding,
as well as a general lack of awareness in regards to adware and other
such programs." ®
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* Origin: [adminz] tech, security, support (192:168/0.2)
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