MALWARE BEHIND 70.8 PCT OF INFECTED COMPUTERS IN MALAYSIA

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 15 (Bernama) -- An estimated 70.8 per cent of all infected
computers in Malaysia in the first half of 2009 was caused by malware, according
to a study by software firm Microsoft Corp.

The number of infected computers was up significantly when compared to 57.4
per cent in second half of 2008, said Microsoft Asia Pacific's regional security
and privacy lead Jacqueline Peterson-Jarvis at a media briefing here Tuesday.

Malware is a software that a cybercriminal can use to steal bank accounts
and information, track everything typed by computer users, send out malicious
software or spam, and harm a computer.

The Microsoft Security Intelligence Report found that the most common
category of malware in Malaysia was worms, which accounted for 39.5 per cent of
all infected computers.

A total of 32,387 computers were infected by worms during the first half of
2009, 2,379 computers by spyware and 1,272 computers by viruses.

The report found that worms infections in the enterprise space rose by
nearly 100 per cent during the first half 2009 over the preceding six months
globally.

"Conficker" was the top worm threat detected for the enterprise as its
method of propagation works more effectively within a firewalled network
environment.

Peterson-Jarvis said for the first half of this year, Microsoft products and
services had removed malware from more than 13 million computers worldwide.

"Internet Explorer 8 enhances customers' online confidence by providing an
increased ability to control and protect their data," she said.

"It is delivering an end-to-end approach to security and privacy that is
focused on social engineering, new defences against Web server attacks, and
additional improvement to defend against browser-based exploits," she added.

Launched in March this year, Internet Explorer 8 contains a new "SmartScreen
Filter" that protects the computer better by giving a warning when users attempt
to view Web sites or download files that are potentially unsafe.

"It is able to block two to four times as many malicious sites as other
browsers in the market today," Peterson-Jarvis said.

-- BERNAMA