Slow computers are often the result of a malware-laden hard drive. Cyber criminals spread viruses in a number of ways, but one of the most popular is using fake Adobe updates and other malicious PDF files to take control of computers.
Slow computers are often the result of a malware-laden hard drive. Cyber criminals spread viruses in a number of ways, but one of the most popular is using fake Adobe updates and other malicious PDF files to take control of computers. A recently discovered strain of malware uses a fake Adobe update to overwrite software, especially antivirus programs, to prevent the program from seeking updates. This malware is especially powerful because even after it is removed, the programs it alters are so damaged that they will likely be unable to update themselves down the road. "They will lose the auto-updating functionality of whatever software is affected even after the malware is cleaned up," Rik Ferguson, a security analyst for Trend Micro, told Network World. "That could of course leave them open to exploitation further down the line if critical vulnerabilities don't get patched as a result." Another new strain of malware uses PDFs to spread its virus. A message claiming to be from Facebook informs the recipient that they must change their password by following instructions on the PDF attached to the email. Users are advised that Facebook does not require users to change login information in this way.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Malware numbers misleading, China responsible for most
Despite the numbers that finger the United States as the guiltiest nation in regards to malware, a report recently released by Symantec indicates that Chinese cyber criminals are responsible for more malware than any other nation.
Despite the numbers that finger the United States as the guiltiest nation in regards to malware, a report recently released by Symantec indicates that Chinese cyber criminals are responsible for more malware than any other nation. While a majority of the malware comes from servers in the U.S., when Symantec investigated the actual IP addresses that the malware originated from, it traced most of them back to China. The report shows that 28.2 percent of all malware comes from IP addresses in China. Romania with 21.1 percent and the U.S. with 13.8 percent round out the top three. "A large proportion of targeted attacks are sent from legitimate webmail accounts which are located in the U.S. and therefore, the IP address of the sending mail server is not a useful indicator of the true origin of the attack," Paul Wood, a senior analyst at Symantec's MessageLabs Intelligence, said. Chinese malware has become a major problem globally. Google recently announced that it will no longer censor search results after an attack was traced back to two Chinese schools. The nation's government denies any role in the attack, but the target of the measure - two human rights activists - may prove otherwise.
Despite the numbers that finger the United States as the guiltiest nation in regards to malware, a report recently released by Symantec indicates that Chinese cyber criminals are responsible for more malware than any other nation. While a majority of the malware comes from servers in the U.S., when Symantec investigated the actual IP addresses that the malware originated from, it traced most of them back to China. The report shows that 28.2 percent of all malware comes from IP addresses in China. Romania with 21.1 percent and the U.S. with 13.8 percent round out the top three. "A large proportion of targeted attacks are sent from legitimate webmail accounts which are located in the U.S. and therefore, the IP address of the sending mail server is not a useful indicator of the true origin of the attack," Paul Wood, a senior analyst at Symantec's MessageLabs Intelligence, said. Chinese malware has become a major problem globally. Google recently announced that it will no longer censor search results after an attack was traced back to two Chinese schools. The nation's government denies any role in the attack, but the target of the measure - two human rights activists - may prove otherwise.
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