Adware in 2008
It's no secret that
adware has become a huge problem for a number of computer users. What may be surprising is how much of an
impact this infection has already had on the year of 2008. According to a First Quarter Malware Analysis
and Detection Report from Panda Software, adware was behind 28.58% of all computer
infections, labeling it as the leading cause of infections during the first
three months of 2008. Following closely
behind were Trojans horses which caused 25.46% of all infections. The numbers dropped significantly following
adware and Trojans with worms accounting for 9.94%.
2008 Adware Culprits
The most active type of
adware for the quarter was Comet, trailed by the following:
• NaviPromo
• SaveNow (adware/spyware)
• Starware (adware/spyware)
• Zango
• Virtumonde (adware/spyware)
According
to security experts, the new strains of malware put into circulation indicate
the evolution of malicious coders. The
programs studied are much more complex than before, making the process of
detection quite difficult for security developers. When these companies are not able to update
their signature files in time, the end-users are left exposed to adware and a
wide range of threats.
They also
report that adware is increasingly becoming a huge threat to handheld devices
such as cell phones, smartphones and iPhones.
The features and behavior are similar to the malicious codes planted
into a computer. These days, is it not
uncommon for a cell phone user to encounter spam text messages or even pop-up
advertisements. This often leads to
Trojans designed to thieve personal information such as phone numbers,instant
messaging contacts, email addresses and passwords. In fact, adware and Trojans make up more than
60% of all cell phone infections, proving that these exploits have quickly
become much more advanced.
The most
common impact malware has on a cell phone includes blocking access to certain
features, battery consumption, sending of SMS (Short Messaging Service) to
high-rate phone numbers, the deleting of messages or stealing of phone
numbers.
Adware has
indeed been quite busy in 2008. McAfee,
one the leading names in security software, recently reported a large increase
in fraudulent MP3 music files circulating on numerous peer-to-peer
networks. These files appear to be
typical audio recordings, but are actually adware programs attempting to
download Trojans and other types of malware.
When the file is run, there is no content and no music plays. Instead, the adware is executed and you are
redirected to a website that encourages you to download their media player
software, which is actually a Trojan program.
According to the McAfee, the program claims not to support any
advertisements in it's End-User License Agreement, yet pop-ups are displayed
shortly after installation.
Adware has
claimed many victims over the years and is getting off to a fast start in
2008. If you do not want to be the next
statistic, it is important to remain cautious of the sites you visit and the
files you download from the internet.
Furthermore, be sure to keep your security software updated with the
latest threat definitions. By doing
this, you will be able to stay one step ahead of the malicious software
coders.
