Virus writing on the increase
Sophos has revealed the results of its comprehensive research into the last six months of virus activity. In 2005 so far, Sophos has detected and protected against 7,944 new viruses - up 59% from the first six months of last year.
In line with this substantial increase in virus writing, is the rapidly decreasing average time to infection. There is now a 50% chance of being infected by an internet worm within just 12 minutes of being online using an unprotected, unpatched Windows PC.
Sophos also reports that computer security threats are rapidly consolidating, blurring the lines between spam, spyware, phishing and viruses.
Commenting on the report, Sean Richmond, senior technical consultant at Sophos Australia and New Zealand, said the threat landscape for business and home computer users was now more dangerous than ever.
"With financial gain rather than individual notoriety becoming more of a motivation, spammers and virus writers have been drawn together with more traditional criminal elements," said Richmond.
"This is producing higher numbers of threats targeted at all points of entry to the organisation."
Richmond said the consolidation of virus, spam, phishing and spyware threats was a major concern and that businesses must ensure they were protected by a vendor with expertise in each of these areas.
Sophos has seen a threefold increase in the number of key-logging Trojans so far this year. Trojans are delivered to target organisations via email attachments or links to websites. They are often used by remote hackers to steal privileged information and very often, to launch further attacks.
In June, an NISCC investigation, with which Sophos assisted, found that government departments and businesses in Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States were the subject of organised Trojan horse attacks.
4-Jul-2005