After a brief recovery phase the Retarus security experts have registered a substantial increase in the occurrence of viruses filtered at their data centers. The share of virus-infected mails last increased so drastically between September and November 2009, after which they decreased temporarily to "normal levels" until mid January 2010. Since then the share of e-mail messages carrying malicious code has risen dramatically and has increased almost tenfold in the last six weeks.
As already recorded last year, the majority of malicious codes are Trojans - approximately 70% of all viruses currently filtered are of this type. Trojans are generally channeled onto the user’s computer via e-mail, where they install malicious programs and access personal data. There is no end in sight to this problem.
"Virus programmers currently use Trojans primarily to create botnets", explains Bernhard Hecker, Head of Product Management at Retarus: "A botnet is no more than the attempt to utilize the performance and communication skills of other computers. The Trojan installs a program on the computer under attack, turning it into a forwarding office for spam mails which the owner is totally unaware of. So it not only steals computer performance, but also increases the flood of spam which already makes up over 90 percent of the total e-mail volume in communication systems around the world."
To effectively eliminate the new wave of espionage attempts, virus attacks and the resulting increase in electronic junk mail, more effective spam filters and constantly updated virus scanners are needed. The use of various perfectly coordinated virus scan and protection technologies is recommended.
About Retarus
Retarus is a leading provider of professional messaging solutions and has been developing and offering services for electronic corporate communications since 1992. The company's portfolio encompasses large and medium-sized corporations, with service extending to more than 3,500 worldwide customers in various sectors. Customers such as Allianz, Bayer, Honda, Sony and Adidas rely on Retarus messaging services to exchange mission critical business documents. Retarus employs more than 250 dedicated professionals and holds offices in Munich, New York, Dubai, London, Madrid, Milan, Paris, Singapore, Sydney, Vienna and Zurich. Each of these employees makes Retarus' core service values customer focus, innovation, quality and transparency, their mission.
Bookmark page at: