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PC-Trojans the Riskiest Cloud Security Malware

According to a newly published report by ASEC (AhnLab Security Emergency Response Center), which discusses about the widely prevalent online threats during the third quarter of 2011 i.e. Q3-2011, PC Trojans continue to be a highly dangerous cloud security malware, while hackers as well as other cyber criminals are found targeting smart-phones more and more.

A survey of Korean users taken as a sample reveals that Trojans with 36% of reported infections ranked first within the list of 20 highly prevalent malicious programs during Q3-2011, with scripts as well as PC worms following at 20.7% and 10.8% of all infections detected respectively. Other reported malware threats on the list were Textimage/Autorun with 16.2% of reported detections, JS/Agent (13.6%), adware (12%) and a fresh entrant namely Html/Agent (9.7%).

Moreover, malware came down from 6,601,705 during July-September, 2011 (Q3-2011) to 39,606,178 during the preceding months of April-June (Q2-2011). Nevertheless, the 20 most prevalent e-threats of Q3-2011 included 13 fresh entrants.

Furthermore, the new research study by ASEC shows that there continues to be an increase in bootkits' aggregate number, the malicious software, which makes deliberate changes to MBR (Master Boot Record). Incidentally, during August 2011, one malicious program, which makes deliberate changes to Award BIOS as well as infects it, was detected as emerging for the first time in the malware world. In September 2011, one kind of bootkit, which pulls down malware for hacking Internet games by disrupting a Korean anti-virus program's working, emerged in the country. While plenty of bootkits have been found, they are not increasing any more since bootkits are more difficult to craft compared to the normal malicious software. Further, bootkits cannot be identified without difficulty as well as they are hard for eliminating; consequently, cyber crooks can be largely seen crafting bootkits, the AhnLab center notes.

Finally, in addition to the aforementioned malicious programs, one more program which too is considered malicious because it generates the well-known virtual currency 'Bitcoin,' as well as another computer worm called Morto, which disseminates through Windows Remote Desktop, came to the notice of the security industry during Q3-2011, as per AhnLab.

Related article: PC-Virus of 2005 Threatening Japanese Bank Accountholders, Warns Symantec

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