The end of the year has traditionally assumed a favorable time for the dissemination of both forecasts and balance sheets, and the world of ICT does not escape the trend.
This time it was Panda’s turn to present the usual list of viruses that stood out in the last 12 months.
According to the security company, the choices are not linked to criteria such as the higher prevalence of threats or the greater number of infections caused, rather opting for those that «for some reason in particular aroused more attention».
Of the «more than 20 million malware samples» received in 2010, experts start by highlighting «The Mac’s Controller», a remote control program called HellRaiser.A, which affects computers running Apple’s operating system.
Although you need the users’ consent for the installation, once this step is taken, the software allows the machine to be controlled by third parties.
The next reference is dedicated to users of Microsoft operating systems.
His name is Bredolab.Y but Panda calls him «The Good Samaritan», because he passes through a message from Microsoft Support warning of the need to install a security fix for Outlook right away.
Whoever does this is actually installing the rogueware Secutiry Tool, which alerts you to a (false) system infection and the need to buy a solution online.
The only purpose is to keep the user’s money.
Although computer crime experts argue that more and more threats are destined to obtain economic profit, there are still creations that do not follow the trend and appear to have been developed with the sole purpose of testing users’ patience.
This is the case with Clippo.A, which Panda has dubbed «The Most Secure».
It is a worm which, once installed on a PC, protects all Office documents with passwords.
The problem is that the user does not know which ones.
But it is also not approached with attempts to obtain redemption payments or to sell products …
In the category of threats capable of making anyone nervous, there is still space this year for Oscarbot.YQ, which will ask you if you are (really) sure you want to end the program.
Several times.
And open new windows.
And ask again.
Until you lose your temper.
The list, which also includes names such as the controversial Stuxnet.A («The Most Daring») or the botnet Mariposa («The Insect of the Year»), also includes epithets such as «The Polyglot of the Year» (MSNWorm.IE, who acted in 18 languages), «The Victim of the Crisis» (Ramson.AB) or «The Most Liar», which was attributed to SecutiryEssentials 2010, a fake antivirus that passed itself off as a free security solution from Microsoft.
