Security firm ESET said that 10.3% of malware detections last month were identified as files containing information on programs to be run automatically when removable media are inserted into a computer.

ESET revealed that INF/Autorun, a generic identification for malware that tries to use the autorun.inf file as a way of compromising a PC, has retained its number one spot and increased its share of detected malware during March.

"Portable storage media started to become a noticeable threat last summer," said Richard Foley, CEO of ESET Ireland. “Since then it has gathered pace and continues to grow as a popular infection vector with malware writers, and it is easy to see why.”

Posted by Sean Cannon in Adware, Spyware and Trojans at 08:33

Malware writers have passed the baton in the race to take advantage of the Olympics with the second attempt to load malware onto PCs in a week.

A movie file circulating on the net that poses as a cartoon ridiculing the effort of a Chinese gymnast at the games, followed by images supporting a free Tibet, has been booby-trapped with malware.

While the Flash-based movie runs, a keystroke logging tool is silently installed on the victim's Windows PC. The malware is hidden by rootkit functionality, making it harder to detect and remove.

Posted by Sean Cannon in Adware, Spyware and Trojans at 08:29