According to a new Symantec report on security software, tens of millions of computers are loaded with scam security software that their owners may have paid for but which only makes the machines more vulnerable.
A rogue security software program is a type of misleading application (also known as scareware) that pretends to be legitimate security software, such as an antivirus scanner or registry cleaner, but which actually provides the user with little or no protection whatsoever and, in some cases, can actually facilitate the installation of malicious code that it purports to protect against. There are two prevalent ways in which rogue security software can be installed on a user’s computer: either it is downloaded and installed manually by a user after he or she has been tricked into believing that the software is legitimate; or it is unknowingly installed onto a user’s computer, such as when a user visits a malicious website designed to automatically download and install illegitimate applications.
To date, Symantec has detected over 250 distinct rogue security software programs.
Top reported rogue security software:
Rank - Software
1 - Spyware Guard 2008
2 - AntiVirus 2008
3 - AntiVirus 2009
4 - Spyware Secure
5 - XPAntivirus
6 - WinFixer
7 - SafeStrip
8 - Error Repair
9 - Internet Antivirus
10 - DriveCleaner
Click here to see the full Symantec Report on Rogue Security Software July 2008 - June 2009
(The Symantec Report on Rogue Security Software is an in-depth analysis of rogue security software programs. This includes an overview of how these programs work and how they affect users, including their risk implications, various distribution methods, and innovative attack vectors. )
source:
canada.com
realwire
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