StopScum

Viruses

Industry experts report that over 30% of all viruses contain a "back door". We expect this number to increase in 2005. A back door permits the authors to use your computer as a "zombie/bot" to not only send Spam but steal your confidential data. These actions are significantly different than years past when the criminals were more interested in "ego gratification" and not money. Many of these viruses writers have discovered that they can actually make money using the back doors and will continue to work in concert with all the other abusers.

Anti virus tools are no longer an option. They are required. Insure that your definitions are always current and do not use or surf the Internet until these tools are properly installed.

Spam and Phishing

Broadband usage has increased to around 50% in the USA. This permits Spammers to send more junk email in a given hour via your infected machine than ever before. Have you noticed the increase in Phishing via email? It's going to get worse and these folks have discovered that they can also produce viruses that steal your confidential data. When email reaches the saturation point more of the Phishing criminals will use web sites to silently install Spyware which also grabs your confidential data.

Spyware

We still don't have any federal legislation which prohibits Spyware. Only recently (1/4/05) did California Rep. Mary Bono again introduce into Congress H.R. 29, known as the "Spy Act". This bill requires that Web companies obtain consumers' consent before placing software on their computers. Last year, the same legislation passed in the House by a 399-1 vote, but was not voted on by the Senate. This lack of federal legislation encourages the Spyware criminals and those who benefit from it to become even more aggressive. Benjamin Edelman recently documented a single click which installed the largest number of Spyware programs I have ever seen. The details from a single click while using the Windows Media Player:

"...including at least the following 31 programs: 180solutions, Addictive Technologies, AdMilli, BargainBuddy, begin2search, BookedSpace, BullsEye, CoolWebSearch, DealHelper, DyFuca, EliteBar, Elitum, Ezula, Favoriteman, HotSearchBar, I-Lookup, Instafin, Internet Optimizer, ISTbar, Megasearch, PowerScan, ShopAtHome Select, SearchRelevancy, SideFind, TargetSavers, TrafficHog, TV Media, WebRebates, WindUpdates, Winpup32, and VX2 (DirectRevenue). (Most product names are as detected by Lavasoft Ad-Aware.) All told, the infection added 58 folders, 786 files, and an incredible 11,915 registry entries to my test computer. Not one of these programs had showed me any license agreement, nor had I consented to their installation on my computer."

While we have not yet seen a significant number of Phishing criminals using these installs to steal your data, we will.

Summary - New definitions

This convergence of criminals can be confusing so let me try and summarize it:

1. Viruses with a "back door" should also be thought of as tools for Spyware authors, Phishing expeditions, and using your machine to send Spam.

2. Spam will continue to increase largely because these criminals will use infected machines to send it.

3. Expect new ploys to emerge for those on a Phishing expedition. More use of Viruses to steal your confidential data, creation of fraudulent ecommerce sites, creation of fraudulent escrow services, and more.

4. Spyware criminals and those that benefit from it will continue to increase. No longer content with silent installs and or poorly documented installs, they will turn to new methods. A Virus with a back door will be the new tool for 2005.