Fake antivirus scanners rising in malware list

Posted on Tuesday, October 07 2008 @ 6:37 CEST by Thomas De Maesschalck

Panda Security reports adware is responsible for one third of all new malicious software. Almost 60 percent of all malware samples analyzed between July and September were Trojan horses, while worms and spyware account for only 4.53 percent and 2.93 percent.

One of the rising 'stars' in the malware list are fake scanners:

The fake scanners typically report a computer infection and suggest downloading an application to remove the malware. Once downloaded, the scanners then ask computer users to purchase the application before it can remove an infection that never really exists. The goal of these attacks is financial gain.

In addition to seeing increasing amounts of adware, Panda Security reported that Trojan horses account for almost 60 percent of all malware samples analyzed between July and September. Worms and spyware, once the bane of every computer user, were nominal during the period at only 4.53 percent and 2.93 percent respectively.

About the Author

Thomas De Maesschalck

Thomas has been messing with computer since early childhood and firmly believes the Internet is the best thing since sliced bread. Enjoys playing with new tech, is fascinated by science, and passionate about financial markets. When not behind a computer, he can be found with running shoes on or lifting heavy weights in the weight room.

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