More malware, more difficult to detect - the main threat to computers in 2009

"I much prefer the sharpest criticism of a single intelligent man to the thoughtless approval of the masses" Johannes Kepler (1571- 1630), German scientist (December 27 1571, Kepler was born) PandaLabs has predicted a continuing increase in the amount of malware (viruses, worms, Trojans, etc.) in circulation in 2009. Between January and August 2008, Panda Security's laboratory had detected as many malware strains as in the previous 17 years combined, and this tendency is expected to continue or even grow in 2009. Banker Trojans and fake antiviruses will be the most prevalent malware types in 2009. Banker Trojans are designed to steal login passwords for banking services, account numbers, etc, whereas fake antiviruses try to pass themselves off as real antivirus products to convince targeted users they have been infected by malicious codes. Victims are then prompted to buy the rogue antivirus to remove these bogus infections. Cyber-crooks are currently profiting substantially from this type of fraud. As for methods of malware distribution, PandaLabs predicts an increased use of social networks, not only by worms trying to spread from one user to another, but by malicious code designed to carry out more dangerous actions like theft of confidential data. More