Conficker Remains on Highest Threat Position, Angler also Ascending- F-Secure

F-Secure, which of late published its "Threat Report: H2 2014," has indicated the yet highest position of Conficker on the threat landscape during July-December 2014, although some other threats like Angler attack toolkit started to ascend towards the top.

The second half of 2014 had a markedly rising dominance of malicious software playing on software vulnerabilities.

Of all threats detected during the period, 37% instances were of the worm Conficker, whereas 11% instances happened to be Kilim, a malevolent browser extensions group followed with 10% instances of Sality, one big group of viruses capable of contaminating EXE files. Finally, Rimecud the worm targeting social media was behind 7% of the detections with a position among the top ten.

Of regions affected, primarily North America was under Angler's attack along with assaults abusing CVE-2013-2460 a vulnerability of Java. The two threats individually were responsible for 19% of recorded assaults during H2-2014.

'F-Secure' believes the exploit kit Angler may be spreading across North America since the region has the highest customer-base for the toolkit.

According to Security Advisor Sean Sullivan with F-Secure, numerous sellers of exploit toolkits seek to avoid customers which have the possibility of drawing FBI's attention. Nevertheless, the Angler sellers aren't as anxious of such a probability, Sullivan explains. Scmagazine.com reported this, April 24, 2015.

Ransomware kept on troubling Web-surfers during H2-2014, with Slocker and Koler currently prevalent the maximum number of times on Android. Browlock the police-themed malware was another threat on top ten with 4% detections.

In the meantime, the SynoLocker and CTB-Locker new malware families are appearing like highly prevalent computer-based threats, F-Secure documents.

According to Chief Research Officer Mikko Hypponen at F-Secure, ransomware operates to encrypt or perform certain mechanism by which people's devices get locked. Accordingly, cyber-criminals utilize this threat for extorting money from computer-users by blocking their access to own data-files till the time they make payment of a stipulated ransom. With virtual currencies existing, criminals find it much easier in using ransomware, ensuring greater utility and profitability for them. As for consumers, ransomware is proving to be digital threat with the highest dominance, Hypponen adds.

» SPAMfighter News - 5/11/2015