1 June 2006
Top ten malware threats and hoaxes reported to Sophos in May 2006
Viruses and worms account for just 12.3% of all malware
Sophos, a world leader in protecting businesses against viruses, spyware and spam, has revealed the most prevalent malware threats and hoaxes causing problems for businesses around the world during May 2006.
The report, compiled from Sophos's global network of monitoring stations, reveals that the Netsky-P worm, first seen in March 2004, remains the most widespread piece of malware spreading via email. The family of Mytob worms are also causing multiple infections, with five variants appearing in the top ten.
Sophos identified 1,538 new threats in May, bringing the total of malware protected against to 122,634. The majority of the new threats (85.1%) were Trojan horses, while just 12.3% were worms or viruses.
The proportion of email which is virus infected has dropped considerably over the last year as hackers have turned from mass-mailing attacks to targeted Trojan horses. In May 2005, one in every 38 emails was infected, now this number is just one in 141.
The top ten list of malware in May 2006 reads as follows:
"Netsky-P's strong position at the top of the chart shouldn't fool
anyone into thinking that the malware problem is in the past. The
threat environment is actually becoming much more sinister, as we see
more targeted malware attacks use spyware technology to snoop upon
individuals and businesses," said Carole Theriault, senior security
consultant at Sophos. "Businesses need to think more holistically
about their IT defences. Anti-virus protection at both the gateway
and the desktop must be accompanied by firewalls, regular security
patch upgrades and safe computing best practice."
The top ten hoaxes and chain letters in May 2006 were as follows:
"This month's number one, the Olympic Torch hoax, warns recipients
that their hard disk will be 'burned' if a certain attachment is
opened," said Theriault. "Meanwhile, the popular MySpace online
community is beginning to experience hoaxes of its own as members
spread bogus warnings to each other. Hoaxes and chain letters like
these cause users to panic, and it's wise to remember to always think
twice and check the facts before forwarding an email warning."
Graphics of the above top ten virus chart are available.
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About Sophos
Sophos enables enterprises all over the world to secure and control their IT infrastructure. Sophos's network access control, endpoint, web and email solutions simplify security to provide integrated defenses against malware, spyware, intrusions, unwanted applications, spam, policy abuse, data leakage and compliance drift. With over 20 years of experience, Sophos protects over 100 million users in nearly 150 countries with its reliably engineered security
solutions and services. Recognized for its high level of customer satisfaction and powerful yet easy-to-use solutions, Sophos has received many industry awards, as well as positive reviews and certifications.
Sophos is headquartered in Boston, US and Oxford, UK. More information is available at www.sophos.com
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