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October 2008

BitDefender Labs Finds Web E-Threats Wave Rolls On In September

Wimad Trojan Downloader Most Common Threat on Internet

Web-based e-threats in September dominate the top ten e-threats, according to BitDefender╝. The list contains no less than three versions of the Wimad trojan downloader, a fake codec downloader usually found on malicious websites. Wimad is spread with the aid of a network of malicious websites, the extent of which make it the most common threat on the Internet these days. The four variants that made the BitDefender top ten e-threats account together for almost 18 percent of the total number of infected files blocked by BitDefender

The very common adware Trojan.Clicker.CM can be found in second place this month. It is used to display popups containing advertisements when accessing infected internet sites. To successfully display the pop-ups containing advertisements, the trojan has functions to bypass the Norton╝ Internet Security Pop-up Blocker.

Variants of the FakeAlert trojan hold positions 5, 6 and 7 in BitDefender's top ten. This application is a rogue antivirus that shows a fake system scan and misleading results (a very infected computer) in order to convince the user to register or buy the fake security solution. The trojans are distributed via filesharing websites and networks, as well as through a network of "dedicated" websites.

Coming in last, with just 1.40 percent of the total detections this month, Trojan.HTML.Zlob.AE is actually the gateway to a malware application √ the malware-serving webpage itself is detected by BitDefender as malicious and blocked. Possibly due to this strategy, the actual Zlob trojan did not find its way into the September top ten.

"It's been a strangely quiet summer on the face of things,■ commented Head of Antivirus Lab Sorin Dudea for BitDefender. ⌠While the deluge of new e-threats and e-threat variants continues unabated, the most common of them are here to stay, so the threat landscape is relatively static from month to month. It seems web-based e-threats are the new mass mailers, in terms of prevalence and infection strategies used.■



BitDefender▓s September 2008 Top 10 E-Threat list includes:

PosName%
1Trojan.Downloader.Wimad.A7.99
2Trojan.Clicker.CM6.91
3Trojan.Downloader.WMA.Wimad.N4.23
4Trojan.Downloader.WMA.Wimad.S3.84
5Trojan.FakeAlert.ACZ2.55
6Trojan.FakeAlert.Gen.22.17
7Trojan.FakeAlert.ACJ2.17
8Trojan.Downloader.WMA.Wimad.Z1.82
9Trojan.Qhost.AKR1.44
10Trojan.HTML.Zlob.AE1.40
OTHERS65.50



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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.


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