Malware Quietly Reaching 'Epidemic' Levels
New reports say malware increased by a factor of five to 10 in 2007
By Tim Wilson
Site Editor, Dark Reading
Everybody knew it was bad, but few knew it was this bad.
In separate studies released yesterday, two research firms now say that malware increased between 500 percent and 1,000 percent in 2007, and it shows no signs of slowing down.
** SecurePCNews.com Note: 'Malware' is short for Malicious Software. This is software designed specifically to damage or disrupt a computer system, such as a virus or a Trojan Horse. Most studies say that almost all home PCs are infected with some type of malware. You can learn more about Malware and how to find and remove if from your computer at SecurePCNews.com. **
"The number of new strains of malware that appeared in 2007 increased tenfold with respect to the previous year," said PandaLabs, Panda Security's research arm, in a report issued yesterday. "Over the last year, PandaLabs has received an average of more than 3,000 new strains of malware every day. This represents a malware epidemic which -- although silent, with little media coverage and no widespread alerts -- is nevertheless dangerous."
...
Experts at AV-Test, an independent testing organization, also reported skyrocketing incidence of malware yesterday. After a detailed count, the organization said it identified nearly 5.5 million different malware files in 2007 -- more than five times as many as in 2006.
...
In 2007, AV-Test found almost 5.5 million such files, up from about 973,000 in 2006 and 333,000 in 2005, the report said. And the trend is accelerating: The group already has identified more than 118,000 different malware files in the first two weeks of January.
...
Several security companies are leading the effort to help you protect your computer form malware. McAfee, PCSecurityShield, and Symantec
To read the full story visit the Dark Reading website.
By Tim Wilson
Site Editor, Dark Reading
Everybody knew it was bad, but few knew it was this bad.
In separate studies released yesterday, two research firms now say that malware increased between 500 percent and 1,000 percent in 2007, and it shows no signs of slowing down.
** SecurePCNews.com Note: 'Malware' is short for Malicious Software. This is software designed specifically to damage or disrupt a computer system, such as a virus or a Trojan Horse. Most studies say that almost all home PCs are infected with some type of malware. You can learn more about Malware and how to find and remove if from your computer at SecurePCNews.com. **
"The number of new strains of malware that appeared in 2007 increased tenfold with respect to the previous year," said PandaLabs, Panda Security's research arm, in a report issued yesterday. "Over the last year, PandaLabs has received an average of more than 3,000 new strains of malware every day. This represents a malware epidemic which -- although silent, with little media coverage and no widespread alerts -- is nevertheless dangerous."
...
Experts at AV-Test, an independent testing organization, also reported skyrocketing incidence of malware yesterday. After a detailed count, the organization said it identified nearly 5.5 million different malware files in 2007 -- more than five times as many as in 2006.
...
In 2007, AV-Test found almost 5.5 million such files, up from about 973,000 in 2006 and 333,000 in 2005, the report said. And the trend is accelerating: The group already has identified more than 118,000 different malware files in the first two weeks of January.
...
Several security companies are leading the effort to help you protect your computer form malware. McAfee, PCSecurityShield, and Symantec
To read the full story visit the Dark Reading website.
Labels: anti-spyware, anti-virus, malware, mcafee, norton, symantec
posted by Aubrey Jones @ Friday, January 18, 2008
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