So, that virus which slowed your computer to a crawl? Yeah, that was probably your fault.
Microsoft says nearly half of all computer malware – viruses, worms, trojans, adware, etc. – can’t infect your computer without some sort of user interaction. In the first six months of 2011, 44.8 percent of malware detected by Microsoft’s security software required the user to “perform an action for the computer to be compromised,” the company said in a report this week.
But don’t get down on yourself – usually malware gets on your computer by tricking you.
It might have come from that weird email you got from someone you didn’t know. Or you might have clicked a popup window that recommended you download (fake) antivirus software (ironic, eh?). Or that document you downloaded may have included some hidden malicious code.
Yes, malware is everywhere. That’s why it’s a good idea to have security software such as Microsoft Security Essentials, Symantic’s Norton or Trend Micro Titanium.
Then again, sometimes there’s not much you can do. In its latest Security Intelligence Report, Microsoft said 43.2 percent of malware takes advantage of the auto-run feature in Windows.
They also can automatically install themselves on USB or other removable drives, or on hard drives connected to your network, so that they can be more easily spread. Creepy, huh?
Meanwhile, while we’re on the topic of stuff you don’t want on your computer …
Spam email decreased overall thanks to the shutting down of two major spamming networks called Cutwait and Rustock. Microsoft reported 89.2 billion spam messages in July 2010 – by June 2011, that number was down to 25 billion, Microsoft said.
Here’s a breakdown of the most common kinds of spam:
CLICK TO ENLARGE (Microsoft image)
You can peruse lots of data online from Microsoft’s latest Security Intelligence Report.
Visit the Microsoft Blog index for more Microsoft news and technology news, and seattlepi.com for more Seattle news.
Article source: http://blog.seattlepi.com/microsoft/2011/10/13/microsoft-says-most-malware-is-your-fault/
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