Survey finds e-threats adapting to online behavioral trends

Editor's Note:  If the cardholder "swiped" instead of "typed" then the malware would be rendered non-consequential.  When the cardholder "swipes" their card, the cardholder data is immediately "encrypted" inside our PCI 2.x certified card reader with built-in PIN Pad.  The 3DES DUKPT encrypted file is then sent via the Internet (not the Web) to a secure HSM.  No data is ever in the clear so the cardholder is SAFE from the threat of Malware...and keylogging and phishing. 

Mountain View, Calif., Aug. 7, 2009 -- Malware writing has become a full-fledged business -- shaped after corporate models, according to BitDefender®, an award-winning provider of innovative anti-malware security solutions. Today, BitDefender released the results of its malware and spam survey from January through June 2009, showing HTML newsletter-impersonating spam and web 2.0 phishing attempts witnessing a sharp rise.

Malware Threats in Review

During the fist six months of 2009, malware writers have continued their efforts to infect computer users in order to receive direct financial gain and/or to seize control over their machines. According to the report, Trojan-type malware is on the rise, accounting for 83 percent of the global malware detected in the wild.

While Trojans were the most active e-threats in the last six months, the notorious Downadup Internet worm caused the most damage to users. Downadup managed to infect a record number of worldwide computers (about 11 million) and made headlines of most, if not all, computer magazines and mainstream media. Targeting systems with unpatched MS08-067 vulnerabilities, the worm can send itself to any clean computer it has already infected on the same network and looks to gain access to file shares. Although Microsoft issued an out-of-cycle patch for the vulnerability, the infection is still in the wild, with hundreds of systems compromised on a daily basis.

"The Internet is one of the most important communications vehicles -- used for business, schooling and leisure. It has also become a channel for criminals to gain access to a vast number of computer systems, financial data and information," said Vlad Vâlceanu, Head of BitDefender Antispam Research Lab. "Cybercriminals are not going to stop looking for ways to enhance their e-threats, which is why it is essential for computer users to make sure they have a security solution in place that can provide them with advanced, proactive protection."

BitDefender found that during the last six months, the most active countries in terms of spreading malware were China, France and the United States, followed by Romania, Spain and Australia.

BitDefender estimates that more than 55,000 users fall victim to phishing scams each month, totaling an impressive 330,000 victims from January through June 2009. In order to successfully deceive their victims, phishers must impersonate (aka spoof) the genuine page as accurately as possible. However, while replicating the original webpage is simply a matter of copy-and-pasting, the spam message usually contains misspelled words and/or negligent formatting.

This is not the case with most of the phishing raids targeting Bank of America. Not only is the text impeccably laid out, but the phishing page has also been crafted with an unusual attention to detail, suggesting that the people responsible for the phishing attacks are a highly organized gang of cyber-criminals.

"Most importantly, unlike malware, phishing and spam are universal e-threats -- they work on any computer, regardless of their operating systems and security patches," Vâlceanu commented. "Extra caution and a highly-rated antimalware solution with antispam, antiphishing and antimalware modules are a must-have for anyone surfing the web."

For more information on this survey, please visit http://www.bitdefender.com/site/view/BitDefender-E-Threats-Landscape-Rep .

To stay up-to-date on the latest e-threats, sign-up for BitDefender's RSS feeds here.

About BitDefender®

BitDefender is the creator of one of the industry's fastest and most effective lines of internationally certified security software. Since its inception in 2001, BitDefender has continued to raise the bar and set new standards in proactive threat prevention. Every day, BitDefender protects tens of millions of home and corporate users across the globe -- giving them the peace of mind of knowing that their digital experiences will be secure. BitDefender solutions are distributed by a global network of value-added distribution and reseller partners in more than 100 countries worldwide. More information about BitDefender and its products are available at the company's security solutions press room. Additionally, BitDefender's www.malwarecity.com provides background and the latest updates on security threats helping users stay informed in the everyday battle against malware.

Source: Company press release. 

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