Viruses, spyware, adware...all Malware!

Have you just noticed that your computer is running slow lately, using a lot of Internet bandwidth for no reason at all? Read on and we will reveal to you how can we help resolve this issue.

Adware is any software package which automatically plays, displays, or downloads advertisements to a computer after the software is installed on it or while the application is being used.

Spyware is a type of malware that is installed surreptitiously on personal computers to collect information about users, their computer or browsing habits without their consent.

Threats are evolving by the second. It's no longer just about viruses. Spyware, trojans, worms, rootkits, bots and phishing attacks are all on the rise.

Malware writers are constantly reworking their code to evade security defenses. The ESET Threat Center features resources to understand the nature of these evolving threats, their impact on your business, and why proactive protection is so important.

• The total number of unique phishing reports submitted to APWG in January 2008 was 29,284 an increase of over 3,600 reports from the previous month (Anti-Phishing Working Group)
• In 2007, 3.6 million adults lost a total of $3.2 billion as a result of phishing attacks in the United States. (Source: Gartner, Inc.)
• One out of every ten sites on the Web is infected with "drive-by" malware — malware that automatically installs itself on a computer when it visits a site (Google research, 2007)
• Annual worldwide economic damages from malware exceeded $13 Billion in 2006, which is $10 Billion more than in 1997 (2007 Malware Report, Computer Economics)

That is not all though. The anti-virus software must be updated on a daily basis. That is one of the superior features of anti-virus software as it downloads a list of new bugs and fixes on to your system. This means that, for instance, if a new virus BLAM32 is released today, and you have been updating your virus database daily, you will receive all the necessary protection for your system against BLAM32.

As is often said in security, "Anti-virus software is only as good as its' last update". Merely 73% of individuals update their anti-virus regularly, leaving more and more holes for viruses to pick at.

Botnets

Botnet is a jargon term for a collection of software robots, or bots, that run autonomously and automatically. The term is often associated with malicious software but it can also refer to the network of computers using distributed computing software. It is important to note that while botnets are often named after their malicious software name, there are typically multiple botnets in operation using the same malicious software families, but operated by different criminal entities.

While the term "botnet" can be used to refer to any group of bots, such as IRC bots, this word is generally used to refer to a collection of compromised computers (called Zombie computers) running software, usually installed via drive-by-downloads exploiting Web browser vulnerabilities, worms, Trojan horses, or backdoors, under a common command-and-control infrastructure. (Wikipedia)

A single botnet can include millions of computers under the control of a single miscreant.

Source: Worldwide Infrastructure Security Report - Arbor Networks

When asked what activities respondents had observed botnets performed over the past 12 months, responses were as follows

• 71% – DDoS attacks.
• 64% – Sending spam.
• 37% – Components of phishing systems.
• 34% – Used as open proxies.
• 16% – Storing ID theft information.
• 6% – Other.

Microsoft Security updates

Microsoft security updates are patches that fix vulnerabilities in Windows. If you are a windows user, then it would be necessary to ensure that whenever an update is released, it is downloaded to your computer to further protect you from malicious bugs. While updates are released by Microsoft every 2nd Tuesday of the month, you should take care to check for updates regularly and ensure that your computer is protected. It has been shown that on average it turns out that Microsoft releases an average of a patch a week!

Lost? Don't be! We can help!

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