Sophos, a world leader in IT security and control, has revealed
the most prevalent malware threats and email hoaxes causing
problems for computer users around the world during February
2007.
The figures, compiled by Sophos's global network of monitoring
stations, show that the HckPk family has had the greatest impact on
computer users this month, accounting for more than half of malware
seen during February.
Hackers are increasingly using encryption and packer tools -
such as those belonging to the HckPk family - to camouflage their
malicious code. January's hardest-hitting worm, Dorf,
plus the prevalent Dref
mass-mailing worms are just two examples of the malware currently
being hidden within HckPk programs. Sophos has also found that
cybercriminals are constantly modifying their HckPk disguises in an
attempt to bypass IT defences.
The top ten list of malware threats in February 2007 reads as
follows:
"HckPk is a bit like Mr Potato Head - it uses disguises to
bamboozle anti-virus protection into thinking the attachment is
safe when, in reality, malicious code lies within," said Carole Theriault, senior
security consultant at Sophos. "Today's most widespread threats,
such as Dref and Dorf, use HckPk, so by blocking it, we zap the
nasty threats lurking inside. Users need to check that their
anti-virus protection can proactively detect against previously
unseen malware, otherwise they could be next in a long line of
victims."
Sophos's proactive Behavioral Genotype®
Protection technology identifies and blocks malicious programs
before they are executed, ensuring that HckPk variants and other
suspicious programs are stopped before they infiltrate corporate
networks.
In February, Sophos found that 0.39% of emails were infected
(one in 256). It identified 7,757 new threats during the month,
bringing the total number of malware protected against to
222,713.
Graphics of the above top ten malware chart are available.
The Sophos Security Threat Report 2007, which discusses 2006's
most prevalent families of malware and malware hosting countries in
more detail, can be downloaded from the Sophos website:
150ヶ国で 1億人以上のユーザーが、複雑な脅威やデータ漏えいの阻止に、ソフォス製品を使用しています。ソフォスは、管理・導入・使用が簡単で、総管理コストが業界で最も低い、セキュリティ対策とデータ保護のソリューションに専念しています。ソフォスでは、グローバルに展開する脅威解析センター、SophosLabs の支援を受けて、暗号化、エンドポイントセキュリティ、Web、電子メール、ネットワークアクセス コントロールなど、評価の高い製品を提供しています。20年以上にわたる経験を持つソフォスは、セキュリティおよびデータ保護の業界リーダーとして第一級のアナリスト団体から高い評価を受け、多くの受賞歴を誇ります。