McAfee has catalogued more than 1.2 million unique samples of malware in the first half of 2009, putting this year well on course to smash last year's record in malware creation. In the first half of 2008 McAfee has identified around 500,000 unique pieces of malware while in the second half of 2008 McAfee saw one million pieces, arriving at a total of 1.5 million unique pieces of malware for the full year 2008.
"In the first half of 2009, we have seen about three times the unique malware discovered in the same period in 2008. This tremendous growth is a signal of daunting times for users, as malware infiltrates more and more of the platforms we trust," said Dave Marcus, Director of Security Research and Communications at McAfee.
According to the report, 30-40 percent of all password stealing Trojans focus on gaming and virtual worlds, illustrating the high profit potential of virtual goods. Also, 80 percent of all banking emails are fraudulent. The report also states that average loss per victim from phishing is $866.
2009 will break previous Malware record: McAfee
Norton antivirus beta defies cyber threats
NORTON’S Anti Virus version 2010, the new antivirus software released in March 2009 Symantec Corp., aims to identify in advance the viruses and malwares that might affect computers with online-application access.
The new detection method called reputation-based (quorum) reveals malicious activity or programs before it can be clicked or downloaded by a user based on the number of users, publisher and origin.
“This detection explains where the threat came from and what it may cause to applications installed in a user’s system. It provides ‘insights before install,’” explained David Hall, security expert and regional consumer product marketing manager of Symantec in Asia-Pacific told reporters during a live teleconference.
Although other detection methods in the form of signature, uncovering threats and comparing it to archived virus, and heuristic, concealing malicious activity through file analysis and file emulation, are still helpful, these two can no longer recognize recently released malware samples.
The executive shared that failure to identify such malware and threats could lead the threat to their proliferation in a system and even hide underneath an operating system, thus, even when safe boot is carried out, the condition of the system remains the same.
With an average of 200 million malware spread on the Web every month, according to Symantec, protection of users extending to that of other computer users are always at risk.
To prove the effectivity and efficiency of Norton Beta, AV-test.org conducted an observation of the product on July 6 using operating platforms of Windows XP and Vista.
It noted, “We have tested the dynamic [behavior-based] detection with a few recently released malware samples which are not yet detected by heuristics, signatures or the ‘in the cloud’ features and found that about 80 percent of them are properly identified and remove virus from computer.”
Inside Microsoft's anti-virus
Microsoft recently officially announced its free, real-time consumer anti-malware solution for fighting viruses, spyware, rootkits and trojans.
Termed Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE), it aims to help users fight the threats that plague Windows PCs which are traditionally considered more prone to malware attacks than their Mac and Linux brethrens.
Microsoft described MSE as "a no-cost anti-malware solution that provides consumers with quality protection from threats including viruses, spyware, rootkits and trojans."
Here's a peek into the Microsoft's free security software.
Previously code-named 'Morro', MSE is the company's new anti-virus/anti-spyware for basic use. The programme replaces subscription-based OneCare service.
A beta of MSE was released recently in English and Brazilian Portuguese for public download at microsoft.com/security_essentials for the first 75,000 users.
The company is likely to release a second public build, either a Beta Refresh or a Release Candidate by September. Microsoft aims to release the final product "before the end of the year".
While OneCare offered a Managed Firewall, PC Performance Tuning, Data Backup and Restore, Multi-PC Management, and Printer Sharing, MSE is reportedly closer to Forefront Client Security, Microsoft's antivirus product for the enterprise.
MSE will not have some of OneCare's features such as backup management, wireless network management and optimisation.
MSE will offer antivirus basics, including built-in and customisable scan options, a scheduler, automatic definition file updates, a real-time defense shield and rootkit protection. Unlike Windows Live OneCare, MSE will not require a Windows Live ID, or any personal information. It will however, require WGA validation
Available free of cost, the programme is thrifty on resource usage, making it ideal for low-bandwidth scenarios as well as on less powerful PCs. According to Microsoft it is suitable for even low-powered PCs such as Netbooks.
The software weighs in a rough 3MB for a 32-bit version and 7MB for a 64-bit version.
According to reports, Microsoft Security Essentials comes with a new feature called Dynamic Signature Service that checks for malware even before the malware's specific signature has been identified.
Microsoft says Security Essentials copies the behaviour of programmes before they run, and uses the signature created during the process to look for any suspicious behaviour. The Dynamic Signature Service then determines what action needs to be taken against the potential malware.
The programme also offers real-time protection, and warns if a user is downloading malware or if the system has been infected. The software scans the system once a week by default. MSE will compete with rival subscription programmes from McAfee and Symantec and with several other free packages.
Why Antivirus Software's Are Necessary
Antivirus software are very necessary for our computer to secure and protect our very important and costly personal data from virus or other malwares. Due the continuous improvement in the field of the computer and internet technologies on one side these developments helped in making this world as glsonalobal village, where one per can contact to the another person sitting in any part of the world and also in the several other fields of the life from Business to the Education . But in spite of all these developments it also makes us prone to the several sort of threats For example Virus Trojan Spam email and worms.
If you want to protect your computer then you should install antivirus software program, there are many anti-virus software's available in market these days. Viruses are small part of the malicious code that protects you. Anti-virus has expanded to include worms, Trojans, viruses, jokes and hoaxes and even spyware and adware. If you're anti-virus product doesn't detect and block spyware you can try a product like Adware Pro which will protect your system from spyware or adware.
This anti-virus software's scans and detects the malicious programs in the computer. But we must keep one thing in mind that installing the anti-virus programe does not mean that our computer data is safe from any sort of threat as these computer threats are released in the Internet on the daily basis. So to be upgraded against all these new threats we should have a continuous update of our anti-virus . The updation process adds the new virus definition to the Antivirus software which makes the anti-virus to detect the new virus or others threats and delete them from the computer.
For example recently a worm called as the Conflicker was released on the Internet it uses the svchost.exe file of the windows based computers to attack. but this worm is not able to cause much of damage as all the antivirus software's companies has released the updates for this worm and Microsoft also released the patch to protect the computer against this So to be safe and secure against all the Internet threats we should use good antivirus software's and to protect our data from all the latest threats we should update the antivirus software at least once in weak.
After installing antivirus software update the antivirus software and you have to scan your system with Antivirus software, you can schedule the scan as you want to given time you can manually scan your system to detect and remove spyware. There are free software available on net like Malware Byte, Spybot, Super Anti Spyware, Trojan Remover etc. Follow these steps to keep your computer protect from spyware, malware and viruses.
Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?Why-Antivirus-Softwares-Are-Necessary&id=2477655
Microsoft offers free Anti-virus
A trial version of Microsoft's liberated anti-virus code has been launched in the US, China, Brazil, and Israel.
Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) promises to provide grouping with base protection against viruses, trojans, rootkits and spyware.
The code giant has been criticised in the time for imperfectness to include liberated section code with Windows.
Its first section package, Windows Live OneCare, failed to attract some customers and will be discontinued.
Microsoft is hoping that MSE, available as a liberated download from its site, will prove more popular. It has said it will automatically update it for users.
However, rival section vendors have questioned whether Microsoft can compete with more established anti-virus players.
Family doctor
\"Early reviews of the beta are display that it under-performs when compared to existing freeware products, and substantially below paid solutions,\" said section firm Symantec in a statement.
\"Referring to Microsoft's base anti-virus and anti-spyware creation as an essential section resolution is misleading. Consumers requirement firewall protection, web protection, anti-spam and identity safeguards,\" it said.
J.R Smith, chief executive of section firm AVG, said Microsoft's entry into the section market could \"further confuse consumers most the inexplicit section of their computer\".
\"It's important to discern that Microsoft's persona in the internet section demesne is much like your relationship with your trusty kinsfolk doctor. They can support diagnose the problems. In addition, they treat some general ailments. In the end, though, they are not a replacement for a specialist when you requirement one,\" he said.
Initially 75,000 trial versions of MSE, codenamed Morro, will be available in the US, Brazil, China and Israel.
Autorun Virus Removal - How to Pull Out Your Computer System From Autorun Virus
Autorun virus, as it signifies exploits the Auto run feature in Windows Operating System, which is misused to move programs stored in extractable media similar the DVDs, CD ROMs, USB Devices, and Storage Sticks.
The Auto run virus is a Windows PE EXE record that spreads itself on a machine by making duplex copies of autorun.inf files on a computer system. Each second you artifact a removable media or backup move your drives in Windows Soul, the virus files signaling executing. The Auto run virus creates a plenty enter called logon.bat and modifies the scheme registry to secure that each second you execute your system the virus is launched automatically.
The virus may clandestinely link to a leering website and set a rootkit on your machine. The rootkit may put a key logger to steal your own assemblage much as statement lottery, usernames, passwords accomplishment roster message, ethnic precaution, and other radio sensitive information. It is hence, highly crucial that you disappear autorun virus from your machine as soon as doable.
The autorun virus can be removed both manually and by using any autorun virus separation slave. The practice cremation time of the virus depends on the intensity of the attachment of the virus to the system. To get rid of the virus manually, you can perform these computer repair steps:
1. End the auto run knowledge finished Task Handler.
2. Revive the grouping in uninjured mode and outside the dictation.
3. Identify all grouping and .exe files on the C (or your Operating System actuation).
4. Wound invisible, scheme, and see exclusive attributes for autorun.inf and ntdelect.com (not ntdetect.com)
5. Remove both the files.
6. Restate these steps for all the drives on your machine.
7. Examine for kavo.exe in C:\windows\system32\ and withdraw it.
8. Outside registry editor and remove all the entries of kavo.exe under:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE
The drill separation of autorun virus is recommended only to computer experts because removing or editing windows registry can crusade intense casualty to your method if you delete the wrongheaded files.
Want to mash those nettlesome pop up ads and get your PC gushing equivalent new? Get the issue fixed with some computer support today.
Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?Autorun-Virus-Removal---How-to-Pull-Out-Your-Computer-System-From-Autorun-Virus&id=2523476