Explore the latest news and trends  

Sign up for our weekly security newsletter


Be the first to receive important updates on security





Send

Virus Affects More Than 1.4 Million China PCs During May Day

Viruses affected 1.4 million or more computers across China during the May Day holiday over the week, according to statistics from Kingsoft, a major Chinese anti-virus firm. Chinatechnews published this on May 14, 2007.

Kingsoft's statistics showed that 1,421,198 PCs were infected over the holiday. The number was 33% more than what was in the same month during 2006. The increase in spyware, adware and PUPs (Potentially Unwanted Programs) by 34.4% over April 2007 is strong evidence to growth in web-borne security dangers. This is an indication of increase in computer viruses.

The Trojan viruses affected most of the computers because holidays is the time when increasing Internet users play games online or do shopping on the Net, said Dai Guangjian, an anti-virus expert at the Kingsoft Company.

In March this year, Kingsoft blocked a different kind of virus. It was called Hack.Huigezi and the company stopped nearly 512 variants it. The Hack.Huigezi Trojan virus uses many controlling programs in its attack. With its installation on a PC, the hacker can steal the user's password, photo and critical files to help him track all of the user's moves.

During China's Spring Festival holiday in 2007, the Hack.Huigezi virus attacked nearly 258,235 PCs across the country. According to Kingsoft experts, the virus has little capacity to spread by itself, but hackers use it manipulatively by modifying different parts of the code.

There are approximately 123 million Internet users in China, and most of them belong to the youth. According to recent report, virus of one kind or another infects most of all computers in China. As Internet use becomes widespread in the country this number is likely to swell.

David Bell, chief executive of the Australia Bankers Association commented on Trojan as a virus that resides on a computer without the owner knowing about it. This Trojan automatically activates to record the owner's keystrokes and steals his information. ABC.net put this in news on May 9, 2007.

The Trojan viruses hunt passwords of users' online gaming accounts or banking services accounts, Dai said. Timesofindia.indiatimes published this in news on May 11, 2007.

Related article: Virus Infects Through USB Drives

» SPAMfighter News - 5/18/2007

3 simple steps to update drivers on your Windows PCSlow PC? Optimize your Slow PC with SLOW-PCfighter!Email Cluttered with Spam? Free Spam Filter!

Dear Reader

We are happy to see you are reading our IT Security News.

We do believe, that the foundation for a good work environment starts with fast, secure and high performing computers. If you agree, then you should take a look at our Business Solutions to Spam Filter & Antivirus for even the latest version of Exchange Servers - your colleagues will appreciate it!

Go back to previous page
Next