New Trojan Daonolfix Poses Threat to Security Experts

Just as the IT sector is attempting to deal with the upgradation of leading operating system from software giant Microsoft, news of infection from a fresh Trojan has aroused caution among computer users, as reported by Thaindian on November 8, 2009.

The Trojan called Daonolfix, according to the security researchers, represents the Win32/Daonol group of Trojans. It propagates very fast via the Internet and computer network. In fact, when it becomes active on a computer, it can even lead to the system's collapse.

Moreover, the Trojan can scrutinize network traffic, blocking access to websites offering security software, capturing FTP credentials, diverting online searches to websites riddled with other malware, and blocking access to system applications. It (Daonolfix) can proliferate from one contaminated computer to another via infected USB drives.

The researchers said that Trojan horses weren't the same as computer viruses although they could cause serious destruction to a computer and network in the long term. Further, these malware typically entered an end-user's computer after dodging security software and resided on the system without making anyone know about their existence.

Trojan Daonolfix was hard to eliminate with antivirus software since it created itself again when removed with common antivirus programs, said the security researchers. Nevertheless, the most optimum method to stop the malware's infection was to use a firewall, said Microsoft.

According to media reports, in the recent months, end-users experienced increasing Trojan attacks. For e.g., during October 2009, security researchers cautioned Facebook users to watch out for a Trojan called Bredolab, which was a password stealing program that scammed the site's visitors. It (Bredolab) arrived through e-mails posing as Facebook messages that apparently confirmed of password reset.

Finally, suggesting ways to stay protected from such attacks, the researchers said that users shouldn't encourage hackers by making things simple so that the criminals could infect their computers, steal their private credentials, or drain their bank accounts. Indeed, users needed to be careful when they got unsolicited e-mails, and safeguard their systems by using up-to-date security applications, the researchers concluded.

Related article: New Zealand Releases Code To Reduce Spam

» SPAMfighter News - 11/20/2009