[Major Payne]

As many as one in six PCs may have active spyware or malware infections.

A recent study performed by U.K. security vendor Prevx of 300,000 PCs showed that 15.6 percent of those machines had at least one active spyware or malware program installed. These programs, which include keyboard loggers that record keystrokes, information stealers and fake antispyware, are emerging at rates of 5,000 to 10,000 per day, company officials say.

Of these 300,000 PCs, the ones with no security software installed at all had infections rate 60 percent higher than those running some sort of antivirus, antimalware, or other security program.

More...


Ron

[Advertisements]

One in six?! That's more like, 5 in 6!

[Tal]

One in six?! That's more like, 5 in 6!

[Major Payne]

1 in 6 is still a lot and stats come from people who make it their business to research this information.

Ron

[ScHwErV]

Its not a statistic, its a guess. I wouldnt even call it an educated guess, its just a guess. Probably based on a poll of some sorts.

[BHowett]

we need more fighters............on average it take 4-6 months for 1 fighter to get trained, so how many more PC's will be infected and how many new types of malware will there be?

[Major Payne]

Its not a statistic, its a guess. I wouldnt even call it an educated guess, its just a guess. Probably based on a poll of some sorts.

Sorry, but it is a statistic. A study nevertheless from which a statistic was made is still a statistic.

Ron

[don77]

One in Six PCs Could Be Infected With Malware

A recent study performed by U.K. security vendor Prevx

Now depending on their definition of malware or spyware I suppose that comment could be true

[Major Payne]

I'm sure their definition of malware includes a blanket definition. Could be they are reporting this as a slant to increasing business:

The company claims that major security vendors aren't keeping up with malware writers. Over the past three months, the ability of security software from Microsoft, Symantec, and Trend Micro to detect newly released spyware and malware hovered between 10 and 50 percent, they say.

Ron

[Troy]

I would venture a guess and agree with Fredil - there's probably more infected systems than that... It is very interesting, though.

[don77]

I would venture a guess and agree with Fredil - there's probably more infected systems than that... It is very interesting, though.

Ok but where is Fredil ?

[PsychPosse]

we need more fighters............on average it take 4-6 months for 1 fighter to get trained, so how many more PC's will be infected and how many new types of malware will there be?

Seems to me that a better online browsing education is what is needed.
I have been going online for many years, I have not once gotten a virus of any sort, nor have I had any malware issues. I don't even run a firewall.

[Major Payne]

Seems to me that a better online browsing education is what is needed. I have been going online for many years, I have not once gotten a virus of any sort, nor have I had any malware issues. I don't even run a firewall.

Smart malware will not give you any notice that you have it. The malware ones that cause PC problems and are written to make you have problems. There's smart malware that hides itself during scans and is very hard to detect and get rid of.

Running without a firewall is not something I would want to do even though I have been on the Internet for years, too. I like to block all my ports from the pingers and have absolute control over what runs or doesn't run.

Ron

[Tal]

I would venture a guess and agree with Fredil - there's probably more infected systems than that... It is very interesting, though.

Ok but where is Fredil ?

I think he means me

[anzenketh]

If it were just a virus issues. My anti virus programs on my systems have only detected 3 viruses sense 1995. However my Antispyware programs have detected a lot more not including cookies if you include cookies I would say 5.99 of 6 computers are infected. I had to live room for those computers that do not connect to the internet.

** starts another spyware scan of his system**

I would agree with PsychPosse though that better system security education is what we need. However I don't think that stops all of it.

Edited by tuxmaster, 04 November 2007 - 04:08 AM.

[Chopin]

That's why there's GeekU!