February 2008
BitDefender Lab▓s Top 10 Malware List for February Reveals Threats Using Packing Methods Dominate List
Peed/Storm Trojan back in action and placing second in total detections
BUCHAREST, Romania √ February 28, 2008 √ BitDefender╝, a global provider of award-winning antivirus software and data security solutions, announced today that a variety of threats, rather than a virus, topped the BitDefender Top 10 Malware List for February 2008. According to BitDefender Labs, the threats were grouped together by BitDefender virus detection engines that all used the same packing method.
"Virus writers use packers to decrease the size of the virus and to increase the cost of analysis - unpacking something packed in an as-yet unknown manner takes a lot of time and skill," explained Sorin Dudea, Head of BitDefender AV Research.
Aside from these threats, the Peed/Storm Trojan dominated the top of the list at 16.88 percent of total detections, a strong resurgence given its absence from the January Top 10 Malware List. The "popularity" of the Windows WMF vulnerability decreased as viruses using its signature only accounted for 5.33 percent of total detections.
Lower on the list are a host of much older mass mailer viruses, on their way to irrelevancy. These viruses only account for approximately six percent of total detections - more than half of which are a result of Netsky.P.
"By this point, I think it is safe to say that Netsky.P is the most widespread mass mailer virus of all time," said Dudea.
February Malware Chart
BitDefender▓s February 2008 Top 10 malware list includes:| 1. | Packer.Malware.NSAnti.K | 37.07% |
| 2. | Trojan.Peed.Gen | 16.88% |
| 3. | Exploit.Win32.WMF-PFV | 5.33% |
| 4. | BehavesLike:Trojan.Downloader | 5.21% |
| 5. | Win32.Netsky.P@mm | 3.36% |
| 6. | Win32.Parite.B | 2.93% |
| 7. | Win32.NetSky.D@mm | 0.92% |
| 8. | Win32.Netsky.AA@mm | 0.88% |
| 9. | Win32.Nyxem.E@mm | 0.69% |
| 10. | Trojan.Pandex.G | 0.65% |
For further details on the latest malware detected in the wild, please visit BitDefender▓s Defense Portal site.
About Bitdefender®
Bitdefender is the creator of one of the world's fastest and most effective lines of internationally certified internet security software.Since 2001, the company has been an industry pioneer, introducing and developing award-winning protection. Today, Bitdefender technology secures the digital experience of around 400 million home and corporate users across the globe.
Recently, the company has won a range of key independent recommendations in the US, UK and across Europe, including ConsumerSearch, Which?, Stiftung Warentest and Taenk. Bitdefender antivirus technology has also finished top in leading industry tests from both AV Test and AV-Comparatives. More information about Bitdefender's antivirus products is available from the company's security solutions press room. Additionally, Bitdefender publishes Malware City providing the latest updates on security threats and helping users stay informed in the everyday battle against malware.