11/5/09
Microsoft: Scareware is fastest-growing malware type
Numbers from the Microsoft Malware Protection Center indicate that rogue anti-viruses and related products are the dominant type of malware attacking U.S. users, while other types of malicious programs target users abroad.
The FakeXPA malware was the most widely seen rogue anti-virus product, affecting 108,026 users in the U.S., although Microsoft says that 103,578 instances of the malware were removed by its Malicious Software Removal tool.
Scareware attempts to convince victims that their computer is infected with dangerous software, and that their only chance to cleanse the infection is to purchase a product that, conveniently enough, is being offered to them. In exchange for their money, victims receive only a malware-infested program that actually makes their computer more vulnerable to attack.
Elsewhere in the world, malware takes different forms. Trojans aimed at stealing online information are prevalent in Brazil, while Chinese cyber criminals attempt to hijack online gaming passwords with similar techniques.
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