BitDefender Published Top Ten Malware List, Trojans Dominating Others

Security company BitDefender, on May 5, 2009, issued its list of Top Ten e-threats that targeted Internet users during April 2009. Understandably, the top positions were occupied by Trojans, just like in March 2009.

Using solely tricks of disseminating themselves among users, the trojans occupy a total of seven positions in the April 2009 list, while merely a few viruses, worms and exploits make the list exceptional.

Thus, the list shows Trojan.AutorunINF.Gen on the first spot, accounting for 9% of all malware during April 2009. The malware isn't a unique e-threat rather it is a general reference to trojans that have the Autorun.INF disseminating feature. Further, occupying position No. 2 and 3 are two known Trojans, Trojan.Clicker.CM and Trojan.Wimad.Gen.1 that accounted for 8.47% and 5.68% respectively of all April threats.

Coming fourth is the Conficker worm, named Win32.Worm.Downadup.Gen. With its well-known capabilities, the variant accounted for 3.05% of all the malware detected in April 2009. Moreover, Trojan.Exploit.ANPW and Exploit.SWF.Gen take the 5th and 6th places respectively.

Furthermore, on the seventh spot is Win32.Sality, only virus among the top ten e-threats in April 2009. It is an infector of polymorphic nature that alters the .scr and .exe executable files, adding itself to the files within a freshly constructed section. It also spreads using a new technique of connecting to a corrupt executable originating from an infected Autorun.INF file carried in network shares or removable media.

Apart from this, a new entrant Trojan.KillAV.PT is placed eighth in the list. This malware is used to defeat any security solution like antivirus software that tries to run on the target system. The malware subsequently decrypts and installs a downloader which in turn downloads and plants a password stealer for online games from the Internet.

Moreover, Tojan.Peed.Gen pertaining to the Storm Worm ranks No. 9 and is responsible for 1.81% of all detection in April 2009.

Finally, highlighting that the Web is an important infection vector, BitDefender ranks a 'silent' Trojan namely Trojan.Exploit.SSX as No.10. This Trojan, while invading unprotected legitimate websites, leads to the download of attack codes on users' browsers.

Related article: BitDefender Releases March Malware List

» SPAMfighter News - 5/12/2009