Sophos: Top 10 Viruses and Hoaxes in September 2002
This is the latest in a series of monthly charts counting down the ten most frequently occurring viruses and hoaxes as compiled by Sophos, a world leader in corporate anti-virus protection.
For September 2002, the virus chart is as follows, with the most frequently occurring virus at number one:
1. W32/Klez-H (Klez variant) 20.4%
2. JS/Except-Fam (Except Trojan) 15.5%
NEW ENTRY
3. JS/NoClose (NoClose Trojan) 7.5%
4. W32/Duni-A (Duni) 4.9%
NEW ENTRY
5. W32/Frethem-Fam (Frethem) 4.2%
RE-ENTRY
6. W32/ElKern-C (ElKern variant) 4.0%
7. W32/Yaha-E (Yaha variant) 3.5%
8. W32/Nimda-D (Nimda variant) 2.9%
9. W32/Nimda-A (Nimda) 2.2%
RE-ENTRY
10. W32/Badtrans-B (Badtrans variant) 1.8%
Others: 33.1 %
“Having topped the virus chart since March 2002, Klez-H is surely the Bryan Adams of the malware world. However, there is no reason for anyone to endure Klez-H. All users need to do is update their anti-virus software,” said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos Anti-Virus. “The Except Trojan Horse – which exploits a vulnerability in the Microsoft VM ActiveX component – is this month’s other big hitter. To prevent this type of infection, companies should be sure download vulnerability patches as soon as they become available.”
The top ten hoaxes reported to Sophos during September 2002 are as follows:
1. JDBGMGR 24.8%
2. Budweiser frogs screensaver 6.7%
3. Bill Gates fortune 6.5%
4. WTC survivor 5.7%
5. Hotmail hoax 5.1%
6. A virtual card for you 4.9%
7. Meninas de Playboy 4.2%
8. Frog in a blender/fish in a bowl 3.1%
9. JS/Exploit 1.7%
10. Nigerian letter 1.6%
Others 35.7%
“Most users are well aware of the damage a virus attack can cause, which is why so many false alerts about malicious code are taken seriously,” continued Cluley. “Instead of blindly believing everything that turns up in their inbox, users should be more wary. Nominating one person in the IT department to verify whether or not virus warnings are genuine will save resources and help prevent hoaxes spreading any further.”
Graphics of the above Top Ten virus chart are available at: http://www.sophos.com/pressoffice/imgallery/topten