Non-biological Computer Viruses for a species known as windows
Posted on 14. Jun, 2009 by Amit Jindal in Business, Hardware, Linux, Security, Servers, Windows
How true, According to SecurityFocus columnist Scott Granneman:
To mess up a Linux box, you need to work at it; to mess up your Windows box, you just need to work on it.
It surprises me that the number of viruses/malware for windows is in such HUGE numbers. And they are on serious rise!
In 2007 Symantec detected more than 711,912 novel threats which brings the total number of malicious programs that the security firm’s anti-virus programs detect to 1,122,311 (Ref: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7340315.stm)
According to Kaspersky a total of 42,520 unique malicious, advertising, and potentially unwanted programs were detected on users’ computers in May 2009. This figure is almost exactly the same as last month’s. (Ref: http://www.kaspersky.com/press?chapter=146437529&vtid=207575821)
In contrast, Linux had about 863 known viruses (year: 2005) in total since its inception in 1993. Almost all these viruses are concept viruses with none ever causing widespread infection. In contrast, Kaspersky found more than 11,000 new windows viruses in second half of 2005 alone.
Can you prevent your employees from inserting a virus infected USB? Or simply avoid opening that virus infected email? If FBI cannot do this, how can you?
As per a recent news FBI system (windows based) has been down for about more than 9 days now due to some virus. See: http://www.networkworld.com/news/2009/052909-fbi-e-mail-clobbered-after.html Also: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/05/22/tech/main5033285.shtml?source=RSSattr=SciTech_5033285
You can see latest threats directly here: http://home.mcafee.com/VirusInfo/VirusCalendar.aspx
Welcome to the wild wild digital world.